Inventory of Records of the Particular (Congregational) Churches of Mass gathered 1620-1805

HARVARD THEOLOGICAL STUDIES XXV

AN INVENTORY OF

THE RECORDS OF THE

PARTICULAR

(CONGREGATIONAL)

CHURCHES OF MASSACHUSETTS

GATHERED 1620-1805

HAROLD FIELD WORTHLEY

CAMBRIDGE
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS

LONDON: OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS
1970

© Copyright, 1970 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College,

Harvard Theological Studies entered as second-class mail matter January 2, 1908,

at the post-office at Boston, Mass. under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.

Acceptance for mailing at special postage rate provided by Section 1103,

Act of October 3, 1917, authorized on July 31, 1918.

For Barbara, Susan, Laura, and David

INTRODUCTION

As far as can be determined, every particular (con-
gregational) church gathered prior to 1806 within the
present-day borders of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
is represented in the following inventory. Churches which
were only briefly congregational and which later affiliated
with another tradition (such as the Baptist), as well as
churches which had their origins in non-congregational tra-
ditions (such as the Presbyterian) and later became congre-
gational, are included. Given in alphabetical sequence
are, as well, the variant names of all of these churches
and their related precincts, towns, parishes and societies:
e.g. , the church in Dalton, originally having been known
as the church in Ashuelot or Ashuelot Equivalent, those
latter names are listed with cross-reference to the Dalton

entry.

The following reference works have been employed in

Only those variant names actually encountered by the
author are entered here: e.g. , the church in Blackstone is
duly listed, together with the earlier variant, "Mendon,
South Church and Precinct." However, no entry is made
under the logically possible variant, "South Mendon, Church
and Precinct," because no reference to a "South Mendon" was
met in the course of these studies.

compiling the list of churches: the following items pub-
lished in American Quarterly Register , covering all Massa-
chusetts Count ies~~with the exceptions of Barnstable,
Bristol, Duke's, and Nantucket Counties: "Complete List
of the Congregational and Presbyterian Ministers in Massa-
chusetts," County of Suffolk by B. B. Edwards. Berkshire
County by David D. Field, AQR, VII (1834-1835), 28-38;
Joseph B. Felt, "A List of the Congregational and Presby-
terian Ministers, who have been Settled in the County of
Essex, Mass.," AQR, VII (1834-1835), 246-261; Thomas Noyes,
"Complete List of the Congregational Ministers, in the
County of Norfolk, Mass.," A£R, VIII (1835-1836), 42-58;
Thomas Noyes, "Complete List of the Congregational Minis-
ters, in the County of Plymouth, Mass.," AQR, VIII (1835-

1836), 144-159; Thomas Noyes, "Complete List of the Con-
gregational Ministers, in the County of Worcester, Mass.,"
AQR , X (1837-1838), 47-62, 126-145; B. B. Edwards, "Com-
plete List of the Congregational Ministers in the Old
County of Hampshire, Ms. (including the Present Counties

of Hampshire, Franklin and Hampden

X (1837-1838),

260-276, 379-407; Samuel Sewall, "A Brief Survey of the
Congregational Churches and Ministers in the County of
Middlesex, and in Chelsea in the County of Suffolk, Ms.,"
AQR, XI (1838-1839), 45-55, 174-197, 248-279, 376-402;
Till (1840), 37-57.

Joseph S. Clark. A Historical Sketch of the Congregational
Churches in Massachusetts , from 1620~to 1858 . With an "
Appendix . Boston, 1858.

[Robert T. Swan.] "Tenth Report on the Custody and Condi-
tions of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns, and Coun-
ties" (Public Document No. 52) subtitled "Churches, Parishes,
Precincts, and Religious Societies, Past and Present, in
Massachusetts," in Public Documents of Massachusetts ._ . .
for the Year 1897 , TTT Boston, 1898.

S. Leroy Blake. The Separates or Strict Congregationalists
of New England . Boston & Chicago, 1902.

[Robert T. Swan.] "Fifteenth Report on the Custody and
Condition of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns and
Counties" (Public Document No. 52) in Public Documents of
Massachusetts . . . for the Year 1902 , "TIT Boston, 190^7

Frederick L. Weis. The Colonial Clerg y and The Colonial
Churches of New England . Lancaster, Mass., 1936.

Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Company of 1649 and its
Missionary Enterprises," Publications of the Colonial
Society of Massachusetts , U1V1I1 (1947^1951). 134-218.

IV

Richard L. Bowen. Massachusetts Records: A Handbook for
G enealogists , Historians , Lawyers, and other Researchers.
SehobotK, 1957-

0. C. Goen. Revivalism and Separatism in New England, 1240-
1800 : Strict"TTonp;regationalists and ^eparage Baptists in
1?ne~ Great Awakening . New Haven STLondon, 1962 .

The annually printed Yearbooks of the Congregational Chris-
tian Churches (United Church of Christ) and of the Massa-
chusetts Conference of Congregational Christian Churches
and Ministers.

The annually printed Directories of the Unitarian Universal-
ist Association.

It has not been practicable to report in full the data given

on each church by any or all of these authorities. Instead,

the information has been epitomized, and only such errors

remarked as might seriously affect the work of researchers

using this inventory as a bibliographical tool.

The exact date of the gathering of each church has been

verified as carefully as possible. In some instances, two

^■Bven if it might encourage some churches to reconsider
the dates on which they are to celebrate their periodic an-
niversaries, it has been the unvarying practice in this in-
ventory to consider the formal act of entering into church
covenant as the date on which a given church was born.
Local secular and church historians have a penchant for
"dating" a particular church from the first action taken by
a town to provide religious services for the inhabitants,
or from the day of the first sermon preached in that

locality. ... .,

Denominational yearbooks, furthermore, uncritically
publish what the churches report, leaving the accuracy of
dates open to the vagaries of local antiquarians, to the
confusion of precinct/parish events with those of the church,
and to the perpetuation of typographical errors. Mm W
church in West Barnstable dates itself 1616, claiming iden-
tity with Henry Jacob's church formed in that year at Soutn-
wark, England; the Second Church of Beverly dates itself
1713 I from the incorporation of its related precinct, rather
than from 1715, when the actual covenanting took place; the

churches in the same community claim the same date of organ-
ization, thereby constituting a doublet. Since the inven-
tory's terminus ad quern falls prior to the Congregational-
Unitarian separation of the early nineteenth century, the
procedure has been to make primary reference to the church
holding the records, mentioning any rival claimant only
marginally; e.g . % the primary reference regarding Scituate
is made to The First Parish Unitarian Church of that town,
while only passing mention is made of The Congregational
Church of Scituate, which also claims the original founding
date of 163V35-

Capsule histories of the churches are not intended, and
only such brief notes are given as will provide a swift
identification or clarify a complicated line of local devel-
opment. With regard to the lists of clergymen who served
these churches, the writer must acknowledge a large debt to
Frederick L. Weis' The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass., 1936). Whatever
corrections of Weis' work were called for, have usually been

UUA Directory has for several years reported the Ashby
church as gathered in 1767, perpetuating the transposition
of numerals that obscures the actual date of the church's
gathering, 1776.

Data on institutional developments since 1900 ( e.g . ,
the date of a church's incorporation) has not always been
available. Frequently, such information is contained in
record books currently in use and therefore not consulted
by the present writer.

VI

made without special comment. In some instances, the list-
ings of ruling elders and deacons are incomplete, due to

p
the absence or fragmentary nature of the church's records.

Innumerable gaps in such listings could be filled by con-
sulting town, parish and cemetery records, together with
the historical and genealogical studies published in
profusion by towns, societies and families; this task, how-
ever, belongs more properly to the local antiquarian and
the genealogist.

The abbreviations employed in listings of clerical and

lay personnel are:

b.

■ born

ca.

= circa

eta.

= ceased to act

d.

- died

dism.

■ dismissed from office

e.

= elected to office

elev. = elevated

inst. ■ installed in office

m. - mentioned

ord. ■ ordained to office

rem. =» removed from town

res. = resigned office

sett. = settled

Three pioneer attempts at inventorying the existence

Supplementary sources of information used occasionally
in preparing the inventory were the Emerson Davis typescript
"Biographical Sketches of the Congregational Pastors of New
England; arranged alphabetically according to churches,"
owned and held by the Congregational Library, Boston; Harvard
Graduates (ed. by J. L. Sibley), Vols. I-III (continued by
Clifford K. Shipton, through Vol. XIII) (Cambridge and
Boston, 1873-1965).

Few volumes of church records contain reliable bills
of mortality.

vii

and condition of the original records of the churches have

been consulted in the preparation of this inventory:

Carroll D. Wright. Report on the Custody and Condition of
the Public Records of Parishes , Jowns , and Counties .
"Boston, 1889. 1

Frederick L. Weis, Christopher R. Eliot, and Robert D.
Richardson. "Early Records of the [forty-five] Seventeenth
Century Churches in Massachusetts Which Became Unitarian,"
Proceedings of the Unitarian Hi storical Society , VII, ii
(1941)7 11-227

Emil Oberholzer, Jr. Delinquent Saints : Disciplinary Ac-
tion in the Early Congregational Churches of Massachusetts .
ITew~York7T956. Pp. 337-355.

The original goal of this inventory, that of noting all

books of records opened before 1900, has not always proven

p

possible to achieve.

Where a church has arranged for the storage of its
records by an historical society or public library, this is
noted for the convenience of researchers who must

Wright's Report as Massachusetts Commissioner of Pub-
lic Records relied solely on data supplied by local corre-
spondents. The latter, at best having personal acquaintance
with the records of two or three communities, lacked any
adequate standards by which to justify reporting (as they
did) whether the records in their keeping provided good,
poor or average coverage. The published Report , never reli-
able, has been rendered virtually useless by the ensuing
passage of three-quarters of a century.

To avoid antagonizing church personnel made uneasy by
recent denominational mergers, the promise was initially
given that examination of record books currently in use
would not be requested. Later, it was discovered that in
some instances, books designated "current" by their owners
were begun about the time of the Civil War. A few churches
were so hesitant about making their records available that
it was deemed fruitless to press the matter beyond what is
reported here.

viii

nevertheless assume that permission from the owner church
is prerequisite to being granted access to the records by
their custodians. In the case of extinct churches , the
officers of the repository holding such a church's records
determine under what conditions the records may be con-
sulted, although being "public documents" by law they are
accessible to any applicant.

Turning to the documents themselves, the first major
concern has been to locate and describe the running records
of the church, containing the votes and other business
transactions of the church qua ecclesiastical entity. Such
running records are designated "CR," followed by an appro-
priate Roman numeral to indicate its place in the chrono-
logical sequence of record books belonging to a given
church. Where a book contains only vital statistics (and
may be a later extract or copy of original records), it is
designated "VS." Records of church officers ( e.g . , deacons'
sacramental accounts) and church committees are listed in
abbreviated form under the rubric, "miscellaneous records."

The second major concern, where the church holds the

Special problems arise where churches have stored
their records in the vaults of local banks, e.g. , restricted
hours for consulting the records, limited working space, the
bank's requiring that church personnel supervise the exami-
nation, etc. Such unusual storage arrangements are noted
in the inventory, but out of courtesy to the business in-
stitutions involved, it has been left for the owner church
to disclose the identity of the custodian.

ix

records of its now-extinct prudential organization, has
been to locate and describe the manning records of such pru-
dential bodies. These running records are designated "PR"
(precinct or parish records), "SR" (society records), "PROP"
(proprietors records), "PEW" (pewholders records) and "MF"
(ministerial fund records), followed by the appropriate
numeral. Records of the officers ( e.g . , assessors,
collectors, treasurers) and committees of these prudential
bodies are listed in abbreviated form. No attempt has been
made to locate precinct/parish/society records where these

1 0bviously, for most towns, the earliest "prudential
records," are comprised by the town records where extant.
However, although such town records (TR) have been consulted
at appropriate points, no systematic survey of such materi-
als has been attempted here, and attention instead has been
given to those bodies, - precincts, parishes, and societies,
- which took up the "prudential concerns" of religious life
once the town laid them down.

Only a handful of Massachusetts churches today maintain
the old dual system of "church and parish," the vast major-
ity having chosen instead to incorporate the church so that
it may legally transact prudential business.

While there are important differences among "pre-
cincts," "parishes," and "societies," there is a regular
chronological sequence with regard to these designations.
A portion of an already-existing town is set off as a "pre-
cinct," usually enabling the latter to support a gathered
church of its own. In time, the "precinct" becomes a
"town," and the "town" handles the church's prudential af-
iairs until (soon or late) it decides to create a "parish"
to attend specifically to such matters. After disestablish-
ment in 1833, the "parish" frequently continued under that
title (although losing its distinctive characteristics as
a "poll parish") or sometimes was restructured as a "soci-
ety," while new prudential organizations formed after 1833
were uniformly designated as "societies."

x

have been separated from the church records and retained
by the town as part of Its records.

Deliberately omitted from this inventory are the sur-
viving records of the educational and fellowship organiza-
tions (e.g. , Sabbath school, women's society) of these
churches, and the abundance of uncalendared loose papers
( e.g . , warrants, bills, receipts, correspondence, etc.)
which many churches have saved as memorabilia.

Manuscript, microfilm and published copies of church
rgnninfi records (or extensive extracts therefrom) have been
noted where known to exist. Some special mention should be
made of the Cooke Collection of records of Berkshire County
(and adjacent New York) churches. These transcripts, made
around 1900 by Rollin H. Cooke, have since been typed and
bound; the Collection is owned and held by the Berkshire
Athenaeum, Pittsfield, Mass.

As to secondary sources of information, the thorough-
ness of search in each instance has been inversely propor-
tional to the information readily available about a given
church from its own records. Church manuals and histories

•hsome microfilming of church, parish and town records
was done in recent years by representatives of the Genealo-
gical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day
Saints; however, the Society's Library Supervisor states
that no listing of records filmed can be furnished. To my
knowledge, only two or three churches, whose records were
thus filmed, purchased copies of the film for their own
archives.

have been an object of special concern, both because of
their utility and their ephemeral nature. For anyone need-
ing extensive listings of secondary materials, Charles A.
Flagg's A Guide to Massachusetts Local History (Salem, 1907)
has not yet outworn its usefulness.

As it is inevitable that errors will be found in this
listing and inventory, so it is to be hoped that they will
prove to be marginal inaccuracies. More important, re-
searchers working in areas geographically or topically more
limited, will occasionally uncover items which escaped my
notice — records stored in a seldom-visited corner of a town
hall vault, records that lie forgotten in someone's attic.
As these fugitive materials are brought to light, the value
of this inventory will lie in having encouraged the study
and careful preservation of these documentary treasures of
the Pilgrim-Puritan churches.

Occasionally the reader will meet with reference in
the ensuing pages to a "thesis," to which the inventory it-
self is described as a bibliographical appendage. The
present publication is a photo-offset copy of the original
typescript of that inventory, and it was not possible to
retype all the pages where reference to the thesis is made

xii

ABBREVIATIONS FOR PERIODICALS CITED IN THE INVENTORY

>AflP American Antiquarian Society, Proceedings .

AASTC American Antiquarian Society, Transactions and
Collections .

PHSP Brookline Historical Society, Publications .

BHSSC Berkshire Historical and Scientific Society,
Collections .

CHSP Cambridge Historical Society, Proceedings .

CQ Congregational Quarterly .

CSMP Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Publications.

DFff Dedham Historical Register .

DHSHC Danvers Historical Society, Historical Collections

EA Essex Antiquarian .

EIHC Essex Institute, Historical Collections .

FHSP Fitchburg Historical Society, Proceedings.

GA Genealogical Advertiser .

GHS Grot on Historical Series .

HM Historical Magazine .

MD Mayflower Descendent .

MHP Medford Historical Register .

MHSC Massachusetts Historical Society, Collections.

MHSP Massachusetts Historical Society, Proceedings.

MHSR Maiden Historical Society, Register .

NEHGR New England Historical and Genealogical Register.

xiii

NEM

New England Magazine

PVMAHP Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, History

SHSP

TH3HC

UHSP

VMQ

WSAP

and Proceedings,

a.

Sharon Historical Society, Publications .

Topsfield Historical Society, Historical Collections

Unitarian Historical Society, Proceeding .

William and Mary Quarterly ,

Worcester Society of Antiquity, Proceedings.

xiv

ABINGTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 17, 1714. A temporary
separation occurred in 1745, but no schismatic church
resulted. The First Parish was organized in 1832.

Ministers: Samuel Brown (called 1711; ord. 1714;

d. 1749)
Ezeklel Dodge (ord. 1750; d. 1770)
Samuel Niles (ord. 1771; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Ebenezer Whitmarsh
Joseph Lincoln

Samuel French
Edward Bates
Joshua Shaw" 1
Samuel Pool
John Noyes

Whitman

Daniel Shaw
Eleazar Williams
Jacob Pool
[Jacob Tirrell
[David Torrey

(e* 1714)

(e. 1717; ejected from the

diaconate 1723)

(e. 1722; d. 1738 ?)

e. 1727

e. 1735

e. 1750;

e. 1750

m. 1780-1782)
(e. 1777-1779; m. 1805)
(e. 1777-1779)
(m. 1804-1805) P
fe. before 1820)]p
(e. before 1820)]*

The records are church property, and are deposited with
the local historical society, which has headquarters in
the town library building.

CR I - "Abington Church Book, 1724 to 1749." Considerable
attention paid to disciplinary matters. Pages 17-20 have
been removed

CR II - "The Records of y e Chn of Christ in Abingrton."
1750-1774.

CR III - Church Records, fragmentary, 1779(?)-1785-
Extant pages numbered 280-309-

CR IV - Church Records, fragmentary, 1804-1807-

1. Wrongly called "Jacob Shaw" in the church's published
manuals.

2. Whether elected before or after 1805 is unknown

CR V - "Records of the first Church of Christ in Abinrton."
1812-1815, with vital statistics to 1821.

CR VI - "Records of the first Church of Christ in Abington.
1820. Saar' Norton Scribe." 1820-1822.

CR VII - "Records of the First Church of Christ in Abine-
ton." 1822-1832.

CR VIII - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the
First Church in Abington, 1831."; 1831-1893, with vital
statistics to 1898.

CR IX - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Con-
gregational Church, organized 1712, Abington [incorporated
Dec. 2?,] 1893.") 1893-1912.

PR I - "Parish Records." 1808-1852.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Book, 1867-
1868; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1808-1877; Parish
Treasurer's (and Collector's) Accounts, 1876-1886; Parish
Treasurer's Accounts, 1886-1894- .

ACTON, First (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Nov. 8, 1738. The orthodox
withdrew in 1832, and the Unitarian wing continued to hold
services of worship until the church of the parish was
dissolved in 1850.

Ministers: John Swift (ord. 1738; d. 1775)
Moses Adams (ord. 1777; d. 1819)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Fletcher
John Heald
Jonathan Hosmer
John Brooks
Capt. Samuel Hayward
Francis Faulkner

(e. 1738; d. 17^6)

(e. 1738; d. 1775)

>. 1779; d. 1775

,i. 1772; d. 1777

e. 1775; d. 1795

e. 1775; d. 1805

Joseph Brabook (e. 1775; d. 1812)
Simon Hunt (e. 1792; d. 1820)

The records are on deposit with the Town Clerk.

CE I - "Church Records. Rev. John Swift. Rev. Moses

Adams. 1738-1818."

Following the notice in this volume of the ordination of
the second minister, Moses Adams, the following entry-
appears : "It is evident that Mr. Swift had little more
in view than brief memoranda for his own use. I regret
that I did not at the beginning of my ministry procure a
larger book & keep a more particular & extensive record.
L hope my successor will profit by this hint. H. A.
Adams' successor did indeed procure a large book in lS^u,
but the records are few, continuing only to 1834 when
regular preaching ended in the Church of the First Parish.

CR II - "Church Records. Rev. Marshall Shedd. 1820-1834."
PR I - Parish Records, 1826-1860.

PR II - "Reccords of the First Parish in Action." 1860-
1861.

Miscellaneous records: untitled book, containing vital
statistics, 1777-18^4, copied in part from church records.

ACUSHNET Congregational Church (see New Bedford).

ADAMS, First (C), extinct.

The church, which was originally gathered in 1766, nearly
became extinct after Todd's dismissal. It was revived in

1782; however, worship services w " e .^ 1 ^ on ^ oc ^ a : ine
sionally. The meetinghouse was rebuilt in 1794, during

the part-time ministry of a Baptist preacher,
tist church organization dates from 1808.)

(Local Bap-

Minister: Samuel Todd (inst. 1766; dism. 1778; d. 1789)

As early as 1829, it was reported that no records of Todd's
church were extant. See A History of the County of Berk-
shire, Massachusetts ; in Two Parts TTiEtsf ield , MassTT
IH297, pp. 3223J2T27"

AGAWAM, Feeding Hills, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 10, 1762 as the Sixth Church
of Christ in Springfield. When the area became a town in
1774, the church took the appropriate name of the Second
Church in West Springfield.

1800 saw the Second Parish divided into Feeding Hills and
Agawam, and 1808 the name of the one church changed to the
Church in the Fourth Parish of West Springfield. In 1819,
an independent church was gathered in Agawam, the original
church being situated at Feeding Hills; however, by 1831,
the two churches were being served by a single minister, and
reunification followed shortly after. Agawam became a town
in 1855, and the church took the title of the First Church
in Agawam.

Minister: Sylvanus Griswold (ord. 1762; d. 1819)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Leonard

Reuben Leonard

Joseph Bodurtha (e. 1791)

(e. 1762)
(e. 1762)

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1762-1819.

CR I COPY 1 _ Rollin H. Cooke, "Feeding Hills, Town of Aga-
wam, Mass. Church Records." Copy made in 1899 of church
covenant, diaconal elections, vital statistics, 1762-1819.
Owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection).
Pittsfield.

CR I COPY II - "Feeding Hills Church Records. A Book Bor-
rowed of Mrs. Mary (Flower) Bristoll of Feeding Hills,
Mass., July 24, 1914. Copied by Mrs. Harriet E. Bagg

Loomis and given to the City Library, Springfield, Mass.
The following pages were copied from the copy by Ella May
Lewis (Mrs. Seth Ames Lewis) Springfield, Mass. 1958."
Congregational Library, Boston.

CR II - "Records, Congregational Church Book, Feeding
Hills, Mass." Vital statistics (chiefly admissions),
1826-1935; church records, 1885-1933.

PR/SR I - Parish/Society Records, 1836-1857.

SR II - "Society Book of Records, Feeding Hills, Jany.
1857." 1857-1952.

ALFORD (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1779, but after Avery f s dis-
missal, declined sharply in membership. In 1817 the sur-
viving Congregationalists arranged with local Baptists and
Methodists jointly to build and support a "Union Meeting-
house," which the Congregational body might use a quarter
of the time. By 1846, this Congregational body must have
been considered extinct, since in that year a new Congre-
gational church was gathered in Alford.

Minister: Joseph Avery (ord. 1779; dism. 1787; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Eleazar Barrett
Robert Johnson

(m.
(m.

1779;
1779)

d. 1823)

No records of this church are known to exist. See A His
tory of the County of Berkshire , Massachusetts ; in Two
ParTsT PItEsfieia, Hiss., 1829), pp. 235-238.

AI^ISBURY (see Amesbury).

AMESBURY, First (Sandy Hill) (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1668 or more probably, in 1672,
and was variously known as the First Church and the Sandy
Hill Church and latterly as the Church in the East Precinct
(or East Parish) in Amesbury. In 1835* Benjamin Sawyer, the
minister of the Rocky Hill Church (see below), accepted an
invitation to serve both churches. With this arrangement in
mind, the East or Sandy Hill Parish was dissolved that same
year. However, by 1841 regular preaching was discontinued
at Sandy Hill, and by 1847 even occasional services were
ended and the church itself was extinct.

Ministers; Thomas Wells

Edmund March

Elisha Odlin
Thomas Hibbert

Benjamin Bell
Stephen Hull
[Benjamin Sawyer

(ord. 1672; may not have been

sett, permanently until 1692:

d. 1734)

(ord. 1728; sett. 1722 or

1728; dism. 1743; d. 1791)

(ord. 1743/44; sett. 1742 or

1744; d. 1752)

(ord. 1754; dism. 1781 or

1785; became Presbyterian;

d. 1793)

(ord. 1784; dism. 1790;

d. 1836)

(sett. 1799; ord. 1802;

dism. 1811)

(inst. 1816; eta. 1841)]

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Thomas Stevens
Joseph Brown
John Tuxbury
Stephen Bartlett

1711; rem. 1761)
1730/31; d. 1735)
1730/31-1741)
1730/31-1741; [probably
"Deacon Bartlett"
1757])

Ebenezer Currier (m. 1730/31-1741)

Hoyt, I, p. 28 (see below, CR II PUB), writing in 1902,
remarked that there were no records of this church ante-
dating 1730/31, adding: "The first book of records,
covering the period of the first pastorate (1672-1728)
. . . was probably destroyed many years since, though it
is barely possible that it may yet be found, in the hands
of some descendent of Rev. Thomas Wells. It was certainly
in existence in 1733, as appears by a reference to it in

1. Sometimes given as "Hibberd."

the second book of records." (II, p. 476). Earlier, the
unnamed compilers of Essex North Association's Contribu-
tions to the Ecclesiastical History of Essex County , Mass .
( Boston, I555J, p. 228, had stated: ""^The church records
cannot be found, though supposed to be in existence."

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1672-1728.

CR II - MISSING, "The Second Book of Records for the 1st
Church of Christ att Almsbury Bearing Date from the 11?*
Day of January Anno Dom: 1750/31 Containing the Several
acts, orders & administrations, of Sd. Church Needfull to
Posterity Entered & Registred per me Edmd: March, The 2d:
Pastor of Sd. Church, ordained July 3d: 1728. Vid:
Page 14. of 1st. Book of Records."

The title is supplied by Hoyt, II, p. 476, who gives the
following data on this book of records: "This second book
was in the hands of the Kendrick family forty years ago
[ circa 1860], but now it can not be found. It has been
suggested that this book was probably burned in a building
at Bartlett's Corner, some years hence. The compiler of
this [present] volume used these records in preparing his
Hoyt genealogy, and made a copy of some portions of the
book, selecting loose and torn leaves and portions which
seemed most likely to be destroyed or become illegible, as
well as some of the oldest and most important parts. Now
that the original has disappeared, it seems important to
preserve some of these fragments by printing them in this
volume . . • • "

CR II PUB - David W. Hoyt, The Old Families of Salisbury
and Amesbury , Massachusetts » With Some Related Families of
ICTJoininp Towns and of York County . Maine . Vol. II (.Prov-
idence, 1902;, pp. 4-75-4-98 , promts church votes for
1730/31-1736 and 1757, with vital statistics, 1730/31-1781.

VS I PUB - "Amesbury Church Records," EIHC, LXIV (1928),
19-20. Admissions and dismissions, 1730/31-1780, re-
printed from CR II FUB.

8

AMESBURY, "Second" (Rocky Hill) (C), extinct.

This church was gathered on Nov. 19, 1718 as the Second
Church in Salisbury , and was also known as the Rocky Hill
Church, After Salisbury East and Vest Parishes were es-
tablished in 1793, it was known (until 1886) as the Church
in the West Parish in Salisbury.

Amesbury 1 s First Church was the Sandy Hill Church of 1668
or 1672 (see above); her Second Church or West Church,
dating from 1726, is now the church in Merrimac.
Merrimac became an independent town in 1876, leaving
Amesbury with only one ancient church, Sandy Hill, and
that only a memory.

In 1886 9 western Salisbury was ceded to Amesbury, and with
it Salisbury's Second or West or Rocky Hill meetinghouse,
the church having failed to survive the death of its min-
ister, Benjamin Sawyer, in 1871 •

Emil Oberholzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints (New York, 1956),
P« 34-0, erroneously identifies this Second or Rocky Hill
Church as the present Congregational church in Merrimac.

Ministers: Joseph Parsons

Samuel Webster, D.D.
Andrew Beattie
William Balch

Benjamin Sawyer

(inst. 1718; eta. 1738

or 1739; d. 1739AO.
ord. 1741; d. 1796
ord. 1797; d. 1801
ord. 1802; dism. 1816;

d. 1842)

(inst. 1816; eta. 1841.

Last minister)

Ruling elders : none

Deacons:

John Page
Judah Hackett
Benjamin True
Jonathan Stevens
Reuben Morrill
Daniel Morrill
John Stevens
Benjamin Osgood
William Hackett
Winthrop Osgood
Edward Dorr

e. 1736; m. 1741)

e. 1736)

e. 1736)

e. 1748)

(e. 1748

e. 1767

e. 1772

e. 1772)

e. 1797

e. 1797

e. 1797

1. The last preaching service of record was held in the
Rocky Hill meetinghouse in 1941, and that same year, the
building was sold to The Society for the Preservation of
New England Antiquities.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1718-1799/1801.

CR I PUB - David V. Hoyt, The Old Families of Salisbury
and Amesbury, Massachusetts , With Some Related Families
oT~Ad joining Towns and of York County , Maine . Vol. II
^Providence, T9C27,~pp. Tl5=576, prints~5nTy the vital
statistics given in CR I, viz., membership, baptisms,
marriages, funerals attended.

PT I - "Treasurers Book." Parish collector's and
treasurer's records, West Parish in Salisbury (later
Amesbury), 1790-1941. The Society for the Preservation
of New England Antiquities, 141 Cambridge Street, Boston.
Excerpted by Nina F. Little, and published under the
title, "The Treasurer's Book of the Rocky Hill Church, '
in the Society's publication, Old Time New England , LVII
(1966), 46-48.

The church's covenant was published in the Essex North
Association's Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History
of Essex CountyT~fiasB . (.Boston, 1865) , pp. 975-574. See
also Charles I. PeTETngell, "The West Parish of Salisbury,
Massachusetts and the Rocky Hill Meetinghouse," Old Time
New England, LVII (1966), 29-45-

AMESBURY, East Church, Precinct and Parish (see Amesbury,
First Church, Precinct and Parish).

AMESBURY, Sandy Hill Church and Parish (see Amesbury,
First Church).

1. The Essex Institute copy of Hoyt (see CR I PUB), II,
p. 436. contains a pencilled notation stating that in
1912, these records were held by William P. Morrill of
Amesbury.

10

AMESBURY, Second Church (see Merrimac)

AMESBURY. West Precinct and West Parish Congregational
Society (see Merrimac).

AMH3RST, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 7» 1739 as the Church of
Christ in Hadley, East or Third Precinct. In 1759, the
precinct became the town of Amherst, and the church's title
changed accordingly. The First Parish was organized in
1783, and the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund were incor-
porated in 1816.

Ministers: David Parsons, Jr.

David Parsons II, D.D

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Ebenezer Dickinson
John Nash

(sett. 1735; ord. 1739;
d. 1781)

(ord. 1782; dism. 1819;
d. 1823)

(e. 1739 ?; P m. 1754) 1
(e. 1739 ?5

1. Cited in An Historical Review : One Hundred and Fiftieth
Anniversary oT ~the First Church of Christ in Amherst , Massa -
chusetts . " November 7, 1889 (Amherst, 18907~as a founding
member of the church and its first deacon.

2. Named, 0£. cit . , as a founding member of the church.

11

[Deacon Azariah Dickinson
[Deacon John Hubbard
Jonathan Edwards

Simeon Clark

Eleazar Smith
Dr. Seth Coleman
Elisha Smith

(adm. 1765) £
Cadm. 1763)]
(e. between adm. 1755
and m. 1781; res. 1785)
(e. between adm. 1754
and m. 1781; d. 1801)
m. 1781; d. 1816)
e. 1785; d. 1816)
e» 1785; dism. 1821)

The records are church property and, unless otherwise
noted, are deposited in the town library.

CE I - "A Book of Chh Records Brought by The Chh in Hadley

3d Precinct - July 174-1 Price 20s." Church records,

1735-1820 (spotty to 1781).

p
CE II - Church Eecords, 1820-1855.

CE III - MISSING, Church Eecords, 1855-1891.

CE IV - "Register of The First Congregational Church,
Amherst, Mass. 1891 to Dec. 1938." Church register and
records, 1891-1938. At the church,

PR I - "Amherst First Parish Book of Eecords Begun
Deceabr 10th 1783." 1783-184-0 (including Parish Treas-
urer's Accounts to 1839 )«

PR II - "Parish Eecords No. 2 - Amherst." 184-0-1881.

PR III - "Parish Records No. 3 - Amherst First Parish."
1881-1905 (when the parish was dissolved and the church
inc orporat ed ) •

1. Dickinson was admitted by transfer from the church in
"Rhoad Town" (Shutesbury) ; unfortunately, there are no
records of that church which antedate 1806. Hubbard was
Similarly admitted from the church in "Ellington, Windsor.
Records are silent, but both probably served as deacons at
Amherst .

2. The New England Historic Genealogical Society owns a
printed item, origin unknown, which lists baptisms for
the First Church, 1739-1844.

12

Miscellaneous records: two books of records, 1870-1874
one of the Subscribers to the Parish Fund, the other of'
Subscribers toward the building of the Stone Meeting House

AMHERST, Second (C).

On Oct, 15, 1782 certain members of the First Church, op-
posing the recent settlement of David Parsons II as min-
ister of the First Church, met and covenanted to separate
from that body. The Second Church was duly organized on
Nov. 12, 1782; the Second Parish in Amherst was incorpo-
rated in 1783.

Minister: Ichabod Draper
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Hezekiah Belden"
John Billings
Medad Dickinson

[Nathan Franklin
[Elijah Eastman

(ord. 1786; dism. 1809; d. 1827)

,m. 1786; d. 1813)
m. 1786; d. 1813)
adm. 1786; rem. to First
Church, Amherst)

(adm. 1800; dism.; d.^1832)]^
(adm. 1803; d. 1820)]*

The records are church property and, unless otherwise
noted, are deposited in the town library.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1782-1816. 5

CR II - "A Book containing the Records of the 2d Church of
Christ in Amherst (Mass)." 1816-1845-

1. Sometimes given as "Belding. "

2. Date of election to the diaconate unknown.

3o The New England Historic Genealogical Society owns a
printed item, origin unknown, which lists baptisms for the
Second Church, 1784-1844.

13

CR III - "A Book, containing the Records of the 2nd Church
of Christ in Amherst (Mass)." 1842-1893.

CR IV - "The Records of the 2nd Cong. Church Organized
1782 in Amherst Mass. Beginning March 21st 1893." 1893-
1953. At the church.

PR I - Parish Records, 1793-1821.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1821-1852.

PR III - "Book No 3 belonging to the 2nd Parish of
Amherst, Cost $1." Parish records, 1852-1873-

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1823-
1877; collection of calendared loose papers, some of which
deal with the church's formation in 1782.

AOTOVER, South (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 17, 1711. The South Pre-
cinct in Andover had been incorporated in 1708, and had
become the South Parish in 1709. The Trustees of the
Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1810.

Ministers: Samuel Phillips ford. 1711; <*• 177J-)
Jonathan French (ord. 1772; d. 1809)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Abbot

William Lovejoy
Nehemiah Abbot
John Abbot, Jr.
Isaac Abbot
Joseph Abbot, Jr,
John Dane, Jr.
Hezekiah Ballard
Joshua Holt
Zebadiah Abbot
Daniel Poor

1711; res. 1720; d.
1711; res. 1720; d.
1720; d. 1750)
1720; d. 175*0
1744-; d. 1784)
1744; res. 1776; d.
1755; res. 1794; <*•
1755; res. 1794; <*•
1766; d. 1810)

1785; a. 1793)
1794; res. 1813; d.

1721)
1748)

1787)
1801)
1801)

1814)

14

Isaac Abbot
Nathan Abbot
Abiel Pearson

(e. 1794; res, 1825; d. 1836)
Ce. 1794; d. 1801)
Ce. 1801; d. 1827)

The records are church property, and are deposited in a
local bank.

CE I - "A Book bought by the Chh in the South part of
Andover for their use. 1711"-1772. Considerable atten-
tion paid to disciplinary matters.

CR I PUB - "Andover Church Records," EIHC, LVIII (1922),
225-233» Admissions and dismissions only, 1711-1798.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1772-1884.

CR III - Church Records, 1884-1925.

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1708-1847.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors 1 Rate Book, 1709-
1749; Parish Collector's Accounts, scattered years in the
nineteenth century; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1711-
1732, 1763-1879; Pew Rent Records, 1860-1874.

ANDOVER, First Church (see North Andover).

ANDOVER, North Precinct, Parish, Society and Church (see
North Andover).

ANNISQUAM. (see Gloucester, Annisquam).

15

ARLINGTON, First Congregational Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Sept. 9, 1739 as the Second
Church in Cambridge. Cambridge's Second or North-West
Precinct (often called Menotomy Precinct) had been set
off in 1732; organization of the Second Parish in Cambridge
came at a somewhat later date.

In 1807 t with the precinct's incorporation as a town, the
title was appropriately changed to the First Congregational
(Church and; Parish of West Cambridge. The change of the
town's name in 1867 accounts for the present title of the
First Congregational (Church and) Parish of Arlington.

Ministers:

Samuel Cooke
Thaddeus Fiske

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Cutter
John Winship
Thomas Hall
Joseph Adams, Jr.
Ephraim Frost, Jr
John Adams

(ord. 1739; d. 1783)

(ord. 1788; res. 1828; d. 1855)

(e. 1739; d. by 1759)

(e. 1739; d. by 1759)

(e. 1759; d. 179*

(e. 1759; d. 179*

(e. 1792; m. 1805

(e. 1792; d. 1819

The records are owned and, unless otherwise noted, held by
the church.

CR I - "Records: Second Precinct [ sic ] in Cambridge, now
First Parish [sic] in Arlington, 1759-1850." Despite the
title, these are church records. Deposited in a local bank.
Complete photocopy at the church.

CR II - "Records: From Nov. 1st, 1848: First Congregational
Church, West Cambridge." 1848-1927.

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1733-1768.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1768-1838. 1

PR III - "Letters." Parish records, 1838-1871.

PR IV - "Records, 1st Cong'l Parish, Arlington." 1872-1901.

1. Inasmuch as the long-lost first book of parish records
(PR I) was rediscovered only recently, there is some hope
that the missing volume (PR II) may also come to light in
the near future.

16

ASHBURNHAM, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on April 23, 1760 in the area then
known as "Dorchester Canada/* incorporated in 1765 as the
town of Ashburnham. When other denominations organized
local churches, this church took the title of the First
Congregational Church. The First Congregational Society-
was incorporated in 1824. The federation with local Method
ists is of recent date.

Ministers: Jonathan Winchester ford. 1760; d. 1767)
John Cushing, D.D. (ord. 1768; d. 1823)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons: Moses Foster

Samuel Fellows

Tristram Cheney
John Willard

Samuel Wilder
Peter Stone

Jacob Harris
Elisha White
Sherebiah Hunt

(e. 1760; res. and rem. 1769;

d. 1785)

(e. 1760; res. and rem. to

Shelburne 1772)

(e, 1769; res. and rem. 1773)

(e* 1772; res. and rem. 1788;

d. 1793)

(e. 1773; d. 1798)

(e. 1788; res. and rem. to

Townsend 1799)
e. 1788; d. in N.H. 1826)
e. 1798; d. 1814)
e. 1798; d. 1826)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1767-1822. First twelve pages
missing.

CR II - Church Records, 1824-1840.

CR III - Church Records, 1840-1854.

CR IV - MISSING, Church Records, 1854-1895-

VS IV - Vital Statistics: baptisms and admissions only,
1864-1876.

VS V - Vital Statistics, 1882ff .

CR V - Church Records, 1895-1922.

PR I - Parish Records, 1824-18 54.

PR II - Parish Records, 1854-1899-

17

PR II COPY (partial) - Parish Records, 1886-1890.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts,
1882f f . ; Parish Assessors' Rate Book, 1841-1859; two vol-
umes of Pew Deeds, 1834ff . , 1869ff.

ASHBY, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on June 12, 1776, informal organi-
zation dating from the incorporation of the town in 1767*
The title of First Parish dates from reorganization
prompted by the withdrawal of the orthodox to form their
own church and parish in 1818.

Ministers: Samuel Whitman (ord. 1778; dism. 1787;

d. 1827 )
Cornelius Waters (inst. 1797; dism. 1816;

d. 1824)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Isaac Gregory
John Lawrence

(e. 177*

1778; res. 1815)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1776-1888.

VS I - "Record of Marriages." 1863-present.

CR II - Parish/Church Records, 1888-1917, with vital
statistics, 1881-1960.

PR I - Parish Records, 184-1-1906.

1. Rev. Abraham Fowler, dismissed in 1777, was probably
only a supply minister.

18

ASHFIELD, First Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered on Feb. 22, 1763 as the Church of
Christ in Huntstown. With the incorporation of the town,
it took the title of the Church of Christ in Ashfield.

Ministers: Jacob Sherwin (ord. 1763; dism. 1774;

a. 1803;

Nehemiah Porter (inst. 1774; <i. 1820)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Ebenezer Belding
Joshua Sherwin
Jonathan Taylor
John Bement
John Porter

En os Smith

Elijah Paine

e. 1763; eta. 1766)

( e. 1767; eta. 1771 )

e» 1768; eta. 1774)

e. 1768; eta. 1805)

.e. 1781; res. 1805;
rem. 1811)

(e. 1805; eta. 1821; rem. to
Granby 1823)

(e. 1805; eta. 1846)

When inventoried, the starred items (*) were held by an
elderly patient in a local nursing home. Other records
are owned and held by the church.

CE I - Church Records, 1810-1832. Vital statistics cover
1763-1832, but pp« 1-22 of the book are missing as well as
the corresponding twenty-two pages at the end of the book.*

VS I&II - Minister's Records, with marriage records 1808-
1863, and deaths 1808-1839, together with Grammar School
records for the years 1816-1817.* Some further informa-
tion is provided by the records of the short-lived (1855-
1868) Second Congregational Church of Ashfield, this book
being in the possession of the present church.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1832-1867-

CR III - "Record: Congregational Church: Ashfield."
1867-present.

1. Inasmuch as the first church organized in the area
was Baptist, some authorities list this as the Second
Church, Congregational. See Frederick L. Weis, The
Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New England
(Lancaster, Mass., l935) f PP- 167 and 239-

19

PR I - "Parish Records. No. 1." 1820-1871.

SR II - "Records: Ashfield Cong 1 ! Society." 1867-1897
(when the society was dissolved).

ASHUELOT or Ashuelot Equivalent (see Dalton).

ASSAVOMPSETT (Assawampsett ) Indian Congregational Church
(see Lakeville, Assawompsett Indian Congregational Church).

ATHOL, First Church (U).

The church was gathered on Aug. 29, 1750 as the Church of
Christ in Perqeuage or Pequoiag, the name changing when
the area was incorporated as the town of Athol in 1762.
On May 25 , 1851, it took the name of the First Congrega-
tional Unitarian Church of Athol. The First Congregational
Society was organized in 1830, the name being changed to
the First Congregational Unitarian Society of Athol in 1881

Ministers: James Humphrey (ord. 1750; dism. 1782;

d. 1796)
Joseph Estabrook (ord. 1787; d. 1830)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: David Twitchell (e. 1754; res. 1774, but active

to 1782; dism. to New Salem
1782)
Aaron Smith (e. 1754; d. 1798)

20

Jesse Kendall
Capt. John Haven
William Bigelow
Paul Church

e- 1774; d. 1797)

e. 177^; d. 1807)

e. 1795; res. and rem. 1808)

e. 1795; d. 1826)

The records are church property, and are deposited in a
local bank.

CR I - Church Records, 1750-1850. A note on the last
page, dated 1787 » states that some fifty pages had been
cut out of the book when the Rev. Mr. Humphrey turned it
over to the church's standing moderator. However, it
does not appear,that the missing pages contained any
church records.

SR I - "Records of the proceedings of the First Congrega-
tional Society in the Town of Athol." 1830-1924.

ATTLSBORO, Second (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 30, 1748 as the East
Church in Attleboro, and was incorporated as the Second
Congregational Church on March 1, 1893* It served the
East Precinct of Attleboro (incorporated in 1743 » when
the Second Parish in Attleboro was organized). The Second
Congregational Parish in Attleboro or Congregational
Society in the Second Precinct of Attleboro was incorpo-
rated in 1807. The Proprietors of the Meeting-House were
organized in 1824.

Ministers: Peter Thacher-

(called 1743; ord. 1748;
dism. by parish 1784 but con-
tinued as minister of the
church until d. 1785)

1. See Samuel F. Clarke, A Centennial Discourse , Deliv -
ered September 2» 1850 * BeTore the First Church and
Society in Athol (Boston, 1851)-

2. The First Church of Attleboro, now the First Church
in North Attleboro, dates from 1712.

3. Frequently spelled "Thatcher."

21

Kbenezer Lazell (ord. 1792; dism. 1797; d. 1828)
Nathan Holman (ord. 1800; dism. 1821; d. 1844)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Nathan Wilmarth

Obadiah Carpenter
Noah Read
Thomas French
Ezekiel Kent

David Fisher

Elkanah Wilmarth
Cyril Carpenter
Peter Thacher
Caleb Richardson

ii:

1764; m. 1792)

1779; res. and rem. to
Rehoboth Second Church 1792)
(e. 1779; a. 1805)
(e. 1792; d. 1828)

1792; m. 1801)

1803; m. 1807)

1803)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of Second Congregational Church. Attle-
boro, Mass. 1743-1851." Vital statistics, 1743/1748-1851;
memoranda of church organization, 1743-1748; church votes,

1792, 1796-1797, 1800-1851.

CR II - "2nd Congl. Church Attleboro, Mass." (Flyleaf:
"Records from June 1851 to September 1866 also from
February 1908 to December 31 » 1932.") Contains records,
1851-1866 (CR II) and 1908-1932 (CR V).

CR III - "2nd, Congregational Church Attleboro, Mass."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Second Congl Church Attleboro
Mass. Formed November 30 1748. [Records] From 1866 to
1896.")

CR IV - "Second Congregational Church Attleboro, Mass."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Second Congregational Church
Attleborough Mass. Organized November 1748 Incorporated
March 1893. [Records] From 1896 to Date January 31 »
1908.")

C REG I - Church Register of Membership, 1748-1930.
piled 1896 and thenceforth kept up to date to 1930.

PR I - "A Book of Records for the second precinct In
Attleborough. " 1743-1786.

Com-

22

PR II - "The 2d Book of Records." (Flyleaf: "The 2d Book
of Records for the 2d Precinct in Attleborough the first
Records in this book begins in the year of Our Lord 1790.")
Precinct/parish records, 1790-1831-

PR III - "Records Parish Book No. 3 1831-1881."
(Flyleaf: "The 3d Book of Records For the 2d Precinct in
Attleborough The first Records in this Book begins in
the year of Our Lord 1831.")

SR I - "First Book of Records 1807." (Flyleaf: "The
First Book of Records for the Congregational Society in
the 2d Precinct in Attleboro. The first Records of this
Book begins in 1807.") 1807-1893 (incorporation of the
church and dissolution of the society).

Miscellaneous records: three volumes of Church Treasurer's
Accounts, 1889-1908; Records of the Meeting House and Pew
Deeds, 1824-1838.

ATTLEBORO, North (Separate C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Jan. 20, 1747/4S by seceders
from the First and Second Churches of Attleboro. The
seceders declared themselves dissatisfied with "the Con-
stitution of the standing order of Churches in the land."
Pastorless for fifteen years following the death of their
minister, in 1767 the members called to the pulpit a

1. Some authorities give Jan. 20, 174-7 as the date of the
church's gathering. But the earliest reference, viz . Isaac
Backus, A [ Church ] History of New - Bnftland , With particular
Reference to the Denomination of Christians called Baptists ,
II C Providence, 1784-;, p. 175, appears to be correct in
settling for the later date. Frederick L. Weis, The Colo-
nial Clergy ar
(Lancaster, Mass.
the 1748 date on p. 185-

ratism in New England , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and
19^2) , pp. 93-94, 225-226, relying wholly on secondary
sources such as Daggett's History, erroneously holds for
1747.

The Colo nial
"13367

cites
C. C

Churches of New England

1747 date on p. 239
Revivalism and

London ,

the
Goen,

and

23

former minister of a church of Separatists and Baptists
at Sturbridse, and voted to become an "open communion
Baptist church. Upon this minister's death, the surviving
members voted to affiliate with the "strict communion
Baptist church at Bellingham. For practical purposes, the
church's existence as a Congregational church ended in
1767-

Ministers: Nathaniel Shepard ford. 1748; <*• 1752)
Abraham Bloss* (sett. 1767; d. 1769

)

Deacon: -William Carpenter (e. 1748 ?; dism. 1748 to be-
come pastor of Norton Separate
Church; d. 1768)

No records survive, other than those preserved in John
Daggett's A Sketch of the History of Attleborough from Bg
Settlement to the Division (Boston, 18947, pp. 246, ^71-

ATTLEBORO, East Church (see Attleboro, Second).

ATTLEBORO. First Church, Precinct and Society (see North
Attleboro;.

ATTLEBORO, West Parish (see North Attleboro).

1. Sometimes given as "Bloise" or "Boise."

24

AUBURN, First (C).

The church was gathered on Jan. 25 > 1776 as the Church in
the South Parish of Worcester, the South Precinct of
Worcester having been organized in 1773. The area was
given the name of Ward in 1778, and in 1837 incorporated
as the town of Auburn; the name of the church changed
accordingly, first to the Church in Ward, and latterly to
the Church in Auburn. The First Religious Society in Ward
was organized in 1824. On Dec. 13, 1889 , the church in-
corporated under the title of the First Congregational
Church in Auburn; the society dissolved the following year.

Minister: Isaac Bailey (ord. 1784; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan Stone (e. ca. 1784; d. 1806)
Jesse Stone (e. ca. 1784; d. 1803)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1776-1777, a copy contained in
CR III (below),

CR II - "Church Records in the Town of Ward. AD. 1822."
1822-1867.

CR III - Church Records, 1776-1777 (a copy), and 1866-
1889 1 with some vital statistics to 1929.

CR IV - "Record First Cong 1 ! Church Auburn Mass."
1889-1911.

SR I - "Records of the Clerk of the Congregational Society
in the Town of Ward commencing March 15, 1824." 1824-1871

1. The date given in Manual of the First Congregational
Church Auburn, Massachusetts Organized January 25 %

1776 (Worcester, Mass., 1922), Other sources occasionally
give the date as Dec. 16, 1889 (cf. Robert T. Swan, "Tenth
Report on the Custody and Condition of the Public Records
of Parishes, Towns, and Counties," Public Documents of
Massachusetts . . . for the Year 1897 . II (Boston, 1898 ) ,

P. 17.

2. Sometimes given as "Bayley."

25

Sfi II - Society Records, 1872-1890 (dissolution of the
society, following the incorporation of the church the
year preceding).

Miscellaneous records:
1824-1876.

Society Treasurer's Accounts,

BARNSTABLE, Vest (C).

The church claims identity with the one gathered in 1616
at Southwark, England, under the ministry of Henry Jacob.
A majority of the members, it is held, removed to New
England in 1634, settling at Scituate, where they were
joined by thirteen men, heretofore members of the church
at Plymouth.

As against the claim of the Barnstable church's being
gathered in 1616, there is the clear testimony of the
Southwark-Scituate-Barnstable pastor, John Lothrop, that
on Jan. 8, 1634/35 1 "wee had a day of humiliation and
then att night joyned in covenaunt togeather, so many of
us as had beene in Covenaunt before. . . ," and further
that Lothrop himself (having resigned the Southwark pas-
torate to speed his release from prison) was not inducted
into office at Scituate till eleven days later, 2 while
deacons were not chosen until August of 1635. The Scitu-
ate group, in short, considered the events of Jan. 8,
163V35 to be the gathering of a new church.
On Oct. 11, 1639, Lothrop and an undetermined number of
Scituate church members having removed to Barnstable, a
second fresh beginning was made. Lothrop writes under
date of Oct. 31, 1639, that a day of humiliation was held
in gratitude "ffor the grace of our God to Settle us here
in Church Estate, and to unite us togeather in holy Ualke-
ing, and to make us Faithfull in keeping Covenaunt with God,
& one to another," while on Dec. 11 following, a day of

1. Jan. 8, 1634/35 Old Style, or Jan. 18, 1634/35 New
Style.

2. See CR I, below, NKBGR, DC (1855), 279, X (1856), 37.

26

thanksgiving was observed "for Gods exceeding mercye in
bringing us hither Safely keeping us healthy & well in o
weake beginnings & in our church Estate • • • . " 1
The church, then, appears to have been gathered on Oct, 11,
1639* In 1717* Barnstable was divided into two precincts,
the older church being located in the western half , ? where a
parish had been incorporated in the year preceding.

Ministers: John Lothrop

John Mayo

Thomas Walley
Jonathan Russell
Jonathan Russell, Jr
Oakes Shaw

Ruling elders: Nathaniel Tilden

Thomas Dimoc^
Deacon Henry ,-Cobb
John Chipman

(sett. 1623-1634 South-
wark; ord. or inst.
163V35 Scituate; rem. to
Barnstable 1639; d. 1653)
(ord. teacher (?) 1640;
rem. 1646; d. 1676) 5
(ord. 1663; d. 1679)
(ord. 1683; d. 1710/11)
(ord. 1712; d. 1759)
(ord. 1760; d. 1807)

(e. 1634/35 Scituate;

remained.at Scituate;

d. 1641)*

(ord. 1650)

(ord. 1670; d. 1679)

(ord. 1670; d. 1708)

1. See CR I, ag. cit . , X (1856), 37, 39.

2. The church in the eastern precinct was gathered in 1725-

3. Some authorities mention John Smith as Lothrop 's suc-
cessor for the years 1653-1659- See Barnstable, Second or
Separate Congregational Church.

4. See Samuel Deane, History of Scituate , Massachusetts ,
from Its Settlement to 1831 ("Boston, 1831), p. 90.

5. Sometimes given as "Dimmicke . "

6. See Richard M. Chipman, "First Ancestor of the Chipmans
in N. England," NEHGR, IV (1850), 23-24; "Notes to Declara-
tion of Ruling Elder John Chipman," ibid., 251-252; "Sketch
of the Chipman Family," op. cit., XV"Tl861), 79-81; George E
Bowman, "Elder Chipman 's Will and Inventory, and the Will

of Ruth Chipman," MD, III (1901), 181-186.

27

Deacons: (A) At Scituate

Henry Cobb

Edward Foster
Thomas Besbetch

(B) At Barnstable

Henry Cobb
John (?) Cooper
William Crocker
Job Crocker
Samuel Chipman*
Richard Childs
Jonathan Crocker

Samuel Chipman, Jr

Jonathan Baker

William Crocker
Ebenezer Childs
Barnabas Chipman
Joseph Bliss3
Timothy Cnipman
Nathan Prosset
Jonathan Crocker
Lot Nye

Jabez Goodspeed
Joseph Crocker

(e. and ord. 1635; rem. to
Barnstable 1639 and served
as deacon till elev. to
ruling eldership 1670; d.

1679)

(ord. 1637/38; d. 1644) .

(ord. 1637/38; d. ca. 1656)

(see above)

(ord. 1640/41)
ord. 1670; d. 1692)
e. 1684; d. 1719)
e. 1706; d. 1723)

(e. 1706; m. 1718)

(e. between 1706 and

1725; d. 1771?)
(e. between 1706 and
1725; m. 1764)
(e. between 1706 and
1725; m. 1742)
m. 1712-1758)

1744; d. 1756)

Sr.

e.
e.
e.
e.
e.
e.
e.
e.
e.

1753;

1762)

1762:

1769)

1771

1783

1797

1797

m. 1764)
d. 1770)

CR I PUB - Amos Otis, "Scituate and Barnstable Church Records,
NEHGR , IX (1855) , 279-287, notice of 1635 Scituate gather-
ing, vital statistics, 1635-1653; X (1856), 37-43, church

1. Besbetch is sometimes given as "Bedbedge." See Deane,
op. cit . , p. 90. Deane also mentions as Scituate deacons
TucharcT Sealis and William Gilson, but cites no authority
for adding these names to the diaconate.

2. Deacon Childs, a man of venerable years in 1718, appears
to have opted for the East Church about that time. However,
there is no record of his having transferred membership to
the new church. Probably he died before the official
gathering of the new church in 1725-

3. Sometimes given as "Blish. "

28

records, 1654-1653. A copy of the 1769 transcript made by
Ezra Stiles from John Lothrop's Journal, then extant.

CR II - "Records of Cthe Church in] the West Parish of
Barnstable, Massachusetts, 1668-1807 ■" Fourteen photostats
copies (one owned and held by the church; others in vari-
ous repositories throughout the United States), made prior
to the destruction by fire of the original.

VS III - Amos Otis, "Scituate and Barnstable Church Rec-
ords," NEHGR, X (1856), 34-5-351- Baptisms, 1683-1702.

CR IV - "Church Records of the West Parish, Barnstable, by
the Revd. Enoch Pratt, Pastor of Said Church, September
1807-1835 Land] extending through . . . 1894." Owned and
held by the church.

See also the manuscript diaries of the Rev. Mr. Peter
Thacher, for the years 1678/79-1681/82 and 1681/82-1698/99,
with photostat, microfilm and typescript copies of the
same, owned and held by the Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston, and cited in this paper as Barnstable
West, Thacher Diaries I & II. Some portions have been
published by A. K. Teale (ed.), The History of Milton ,
Mass . 1640 to 1887 (Boston, 188777 pp. 641-657; and by
Edward P. Hamilton, "The Diary of a Colonial Clergyman,
Peter Thacher of Milton," MHSP, LXXI (1953-1957)* 50-63-

BARNSTABLE, Separatist (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in September of 1661, under the
ministry of John Smith, formerly supply minister at Barn-
stable West from 1653 to 1659- On June 4, 1662, an ec-
clesiastical council voted not to hold communion with this
Separatist church. Shortly thereafter, Smith removed to
Rhode Island, and the church became extinct.

1. See Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The
Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster. Mass., 1936),
p. 189-

29

Minister:

John Smith (sett. 1661; rem. 1662; d. 171--)

No records of the church are extant. See John Mellen,
Topographical Description of the Town of Barnstable,"
IffiSC, 1st Ser., Ill (179*; published 1810), 12-17; and
?re3erick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod, II (Boston,
1862), pp. 267-268."

BABNSTABLE, Bast (U).

The church was gathered on May 12, 1725, the East Precinct
having been set off in 1717, and the East Parish Congrega-
tional Society organized in the latter year. The Trustees
of the Barnstable Congregational Ministerial Fund were in-
corporated in 1828.

Ministers :

Joseph Greene (ord. 1725; d. 1770)
Timothy Hilliard (ord. 1771; dism. 178?;

d. 1790)
John Mellen (ord. 1783; res. 1800;

d. 1828)
Jotham Waterman (ord. 1801; dism. 1815;

d. 1856)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : John Lewis

Samuel Bacon
Nathaniel Bacon
John Phinney

e. 1726; d. 1739)

e. 1726; d. 1728)

e. 1729; d. 1738)

e. 1729; d. 17*6 or 17*7)

1. Weis, 0£. cit., p. 2*0, however, gives Smith's dates
of service at tnTs Separatist church as 1662-1662.

2. Weis, pp. cit., p. 2*0, gives both the West and East
churches the 1533 date assigned in this thesis to the West
church. However, John Mellen, pastor of the East church
from 1783 to 1800, and an early historian of Barnstable
("A Topographical Description of the Town of Barnstable,
MHSC, 1st Ser., Ill [179*; published 1810], 12-17), makes
iTpoint of dating this East church from 1725.

50

Robert Davis
Moodey Russell
John Hinckley
Edward Bacon, Esq,
Gershom Davis
Ebenezer Hamblin
Nathaniel Lewis
Joseph Hallett
Timothy Phinney

e. 1738; d. 1765)

e. 1740; d. 1761)

e. 1748: d. 1765)

e. 1765)

(e. 1765; res. 1785; d. 1790)

(e. 1765; rem. 1794)

(e. 1783; rem. 1813)

(e. 1785; d. 1809)

(e. 179*; d. 1838)

Records owned by the church; on deposit in the County
Treasurer's Office, Barnstable County Court House,
Barnstable.

CR I - "Records of the East Parish Congregational Church,
Barnstable, Mass. March 1725 to May 1816." Excellent
coverage of all ecclesiastical councils in the area at-
tended by delegates from this church, 1726-1814.

CR II - "The Records of the Church in the East Precinct in
Barnstable, Mass. Second Volume." 1820-1866; 1881 summary
by then-pastor; vital statistics to 1900.

PR I - "Records of the East Pari3h Congregational Society,
Barnstable, Mass. March 1717/8 to July 27, 1801." Inside
cover: "Book of Precinct Records."

SR II - "2d. Book of Records for [the Society in] the East
Precinct in Barnstable, 1801 to 1847."

BARNSTABLE, Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on May 10, 1750, consisting of New
Lights from Barnstable, Yarmouth and Hyannis. With the
removal in 1760 of its pastor and the defection of members
to a Baptist church at Hyannis, this Separate church soon
became extinct.

Minister: Nathaniel Ewer (ord. 1750; rem. ca. 1760;

d. 1806)

31

No records of the church are extant- In addition to the
other secondary sources cited Tor the Barnstable churches,
see C. C. Goen f Revivalism and Separatism in New England,
174-0 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962;, pp. 95, 247 and 311

BARNSTABLE, Second (see Barnstable, Separatist, referred
to by Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The
Colonial Churches of New Sn^land (.Lancaster, Mass. , 1936),
p. 240, as "Second'TJongregational Church." See Barnstable,
East.).

BARRE, First (U).

The church was gathered on July 29, 1753 as the Church of
Rutland District. In 1776, the name was changed when the
district became the town of Barre. The First Parish in
Barre was organized in 1818.

Ministers: Thomas Frink

(inst. 1753; dism. 1766;

d. 1777)

Josiah Dana (ord. 1767; <1. 1801)
James Thompson (ord. 1804; d. 18 5*0

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons : John Maso^

Jonas Rice

Matthias Stone

Isaac Tobey

Lt. Andrew Parker

m. 1766-1783)
m. 1766-1783)

1766; res. and rem. 1774- )

m

(e. 1781; m. 1791)
(e. 1784; m. 1785 in
Phillipston CR I)

1. Probably the same deacon cited occasionally during
ttese years as "Jotham Rice."

32

Jonas Eaton
Dr. John Williams
Samuel Smith II
Moses Holden

1784: res. 1816)
1792)-,

1795) 1
1804)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1752-1766. Reportedly
taken by Thomas Frink after his dismissal in 1766.

CR II - Church Records, 1766-1827.

CR II COPY - "Records: First Parish: Barre : Mass."
MS copy made in 1898.

VS II PUB - Franklin P. Rice, "Baptisms from the Records
of the First Church of Barre, Mass., 1767-1831, the Births
Not Being on the Town Records, " NEHGR, LVII (1903), 410-
414 and LVIII (1904), 54-62.

CR III - Church Records, 1827-1844.

BASS RIVKR, Church (see Beverly, First Parish).

BECKST, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 28, 1758 as the Church in
Plantation No. 4, becoming the Church in Becket with the

1. It appears unlikely that Jason Sherman and Noah
Ripley, elected to the diaconate in 1802, accepted their
election.

2. Properly cited, although the present mailing address
is Chester, Mass. Not to be confused with the First
Church (C) in Chester, which was gathered in 1?69.

53

organization of the town in 1765- The First Congrega-
tional Society in the Town of Becket was incorporated in
1798, and the Proprietors of the Meeting House in 1808.

Ministers: Ebenezer Martin
Zadoc Hunn

(ord. 1759;
d. 1795)
(ord. 1771;
d. 1801 ) x

dism. 1764;
dism. 1788;

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Isaiah Kingsley
Ebenezer Bush
Nathaniel Kingsley
Ebenezer Walden
Oliver Brewster

e. 1759; d. 1796

e. 1761; d. 1768

e. 1772; do 1807

e. 1797; d. 1822

e. 1797; d. 1812

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "A Book of Records for the Use of the Church of
Christ in No. 4, Nov. the 20, A.D., 1758." 1758-1802,
with some notices and vital statistics to 1885. Lacuna,

1775-1795.

CR II - "Record of the Church of Christ in Becket, Vol. 2."
1808-1839, with some notices and vital statistics to 1873*

CR I & II COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Becket, Mass. Records
of The Congregational Church (Township No. 4)." Copy made
in 1902, owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke
Collection), Pittsfield. Microfilms of this item owned by
the church, and by the Congregational Christian Historical
Society, Boston.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1883-1914 • Destroyed by
fire in the burning of the church clerk's house.

SR I - "Records of the First Congregational Society in the
Town of Becket." 1798-1854.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1899-
1945; fragment of the Society Records for 1799-

1. There was no settled minister from 1788 to 1806, the
pulpit being supplied by Joseph Badger, the minister at
Blandford.

34

BECKET CENTRE (see Becket, First)

BEDFORD, First Parish
First Church

8):

The church was gathered on July 15, 1730. Parish and
church separated into Unitarian and Congregational bodies
in 1833.

Ministers: Nicholas Bowes (ord. 1730; dism. 1754

d. 1755)
Nathaniel Sherman (ord. 1756; dism. 1768

d. 1797)
Joseph Penniman (ord. 1771; dism. 1793

do 1803)
Samuel Stearns (ord. 1796; d. 1834)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Nathaniel Merriam
Israel Putnam
Job Lane
Benjamin Bacon
Stephen Davis
James Wright
William Merriam
Moses Fitch

The whereabouts of the records of the church prior to the
1833 separation is unknown.

(e.

1730;

d. 1738)

Ce.

1730;

d. 1760)

(e.

1738;

d. 1762)

(,e.

1759;

d. 1791)

(.e.

1760;

d. 1787)

(e.

1785;

res. 1817)

Ce.

1796;

d. 1804)

(e.

1805;

d. 1825)

1. The present Unitarian church's collection of records,
on deposit in a local bank, include no original records
antedating 1890. The present Congregational church has
records dating from its inception in 1833; the first
volume of church records contains a memo dated 1889
which states that at that time, the Congregational body
held records going back to 1730.

35

VS I - Charles W. Jenks, "Some Records of Bedford, Mass.,"
NEHGR, LXII (1908), 69-78, 157-161. A few vital statis-
tics, 1803-1854, from the private records of Samuel
Stearns.

BEDFORD PRECINCT (see New Bedford).

BELCHERTOWN (C).

The church was gathered in the spring of 1737 as the
Church in Cold Spring, changing its name when the town
was organized in 1761, and incorporating on March 16,
1891. The Congregational Society in Belchertown was
organized in 182J.

Ministers: Edward Billing (ord. 1739; dism. 1752;

d. 1760)
Justus Forward (ord. 1756; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon John Smith*
Aaron Lyman
Elijah Smith
Joseph Bridgman
Joseph Smith
Edward Smith
Elijah Dwight
Amasa Smith

Eliakim Phelps
James Walker

(e. 1737;

d.

(e. 1737;

d«

(e. 1761;

d.

(e, 1770;

d.

(e. 1770;

d.

(e. 1781;

rem

(e. 1793;

d.

(e. 1795;

res

1802; d.

1847

(e. 1803;

d.

(e. 1804;

res

1777

1780

1770

1773)

1803)

. 1793)

1795)

. and rem,

1824)
. 1827)

1. Formerly a deacon at Hatfield.

36

No records are extant antedating 1756, a fact noted as
early as 1802, Items starred (*) are on deposit at the
local historical society; others are held by the church.

CR I - "Church Eecords Book No. 1." (Flyleaf: "Records
of the Church of Christ in Cold -Spring. " ) 1756-1762,
with vital statistics to 1784 and miscellaneous data to
1801.*

CR II - MISSING, "Noo 2. Records of the Church in
Belchertovm." 1764-1801. Extant in 1927.

CR II COPY - Copy of CR II, made in 1927, of CR II; in
four booklets numbered 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D.*

VS II - "Records of Admission to Communion in the Chh at
Belchertown - Baptisms - Marriages - Deaths &c. No. 3 -
N.B. No. 2 Contains Chh Votes and Proceedings." 1764-
1801.*

CR III - "Records of the Church of Christ." Abstract of
church proceedings, 1756-1802; church records, 1802-1832.*

CR IV - "Records of Congregational Church, 1833-1849
inclusive."

CR V - "Church Records." 1849-1892, with additional data
to 1907.

CR VI - Church Records, 1891-1928.

SR I - "Society Records, Belchertown." 1834—1882.

BELLINGHAM (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 22, 1727, but declined
sharply in membership upon Mills 1 dismissal in 1738, and
in 1756 numbered only eight members. The date of dissolu-
tion usually cited, 1774-, is that of the razing of the
meetinghouse. The First Congregational Society in
Bellingham was organized in 1821 by Congregationalists
and Universalists to oppose the activities of the Baptists

57

of the town, but was dissolved in 1824. It was briefly
succeeded by the Parish, organized in 1825* which ceased
to function in 1827.

Minister: Jonathan Mils (ord. 1727; dism. and rem. 1738;

d. 1773)

No records of this church are known to be extant, al-
though reference is made to their existence in Abiel
Fisher, Jr., Century Sermons . Two Discourses Delivered
at Bellingham . in the Year~822 (Worcester, 1822;. See
also George F. Partridge, History of the Town of Belling -
ham, Massachusetts , 1719 - 1919 IBellingham. 191^7."

BERKLEY, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 2, 1737, and incorpo-
rated on March 2, 1891. The Free Christian Society in
Berkley was incorporated in 1814. The Trustees of the
Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1813.

Ministers: Samuel Tobey (ord. 1737; d. 1781)

Thomas Andros (ord. 1788; dism. 1834;

d 1845)

Ruling elders: Deacon Daniel Axtell

Deacon Jacob French

Deacon John Paul
Deacon Ebenezer Crane

(e. 1746; ord.
1750; eta. by 1762)
(e, 1743; ord.
1750; m. 1791)
(e. 1762; m. 1772)
(e. 1789; m. 1791)

Deacons: Gershom Crane
Daniel Axe ell

Capt. John Paul

Lt. Jacob French

Samuel Tubbs
Ebenezer Crane

Ce. 1737; res. 1762)

(e. 1737; elev. to ruling

elder in 1748)

(e. 1748; elev. to ruling

elder in 1762)

(e. 1748; elev. to ruling

elder in 1748)

(e. 1764; Jiu 1766)

(e. 1764; elev. to ruling

elder in 1789)

38

The records are church property, and are deposited with
The Old Colony Historical Society, Taunton.

OR I - "Berkley Records of the Old Church By Rev. Samuel
Tobey 1737 to 1765 [sic]." 1737-1778.

CR II - "Records First Church of Christ in Berkley Mass,
(Flyleaf: "A Book of Records belonging to y Church of
Christ in Berkley.") 1787-1884.

CR III - "Records First Church of Christ in Berkley
Mass." (Flyleaf: "A Book of Records belonging to The
1st Church of Christ in Berkley.") 1885-1951*

SR I - "Records of the Proceedings; & Meetings of the
Congregational Society in the town of Berkley which com-
menced September the thirteenth AD 1824." 1824-1851.

SR II - "Congregational Society's Book of Records
A.D. 1852." 1851-1907.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1826-1896, 1894-1 949; Records of the Trustees of the
Ministerial Fund, 1813-1951-

BERLIN, Federated (C, U).

The church was gathered on April 7, 1779 as the Church in
the South Parish of Bolton, which parish had been incorpo-
rated in 1778. In 1784, with the organization of the town
of Berlin, the church's name was changed to that of the
Church of Christ in Berlin.

This church and parish being Unitarian in sympathy, on
March 25, 1883 the orthodox organized the Evangelical
Congregational Society in Berlin and gathered a church.
The older Unitarian church and society were dissolved in
1843, but Unitarianism reorganized at a later date,
probably in 1872.

The present Federated Church or First Parish Church was
constituted in 1947 by the Congregationalist, Unitarian
and Methodist churches of the town.

39

Minister: Reuben Puffer, D.D. (ord. 1781; d. 1829)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Deacon Josiah Sawyer (e. 1787; res. 1799
James Goddard (e. 1787; res. 1807

(e.

Jonathan Merriam

1799; res. 1815

The records are church property, and are deposited in the
town library.

CR I - Church Records, 1779-1828.

CR II - Church Records, 1829-1878.

CR III - Church Records, 1882-1908 (incorrectly labeled
"Vol. IV.")

Miscellaneous records: those of the later Unitarian
church, 1872-1888, 1889-1953 .

BERNARDSTON, First (U).

The church was gathered on Nov. 25, 174-1 as the Church in
Falltown, the name being changed when the town of Ber-
nardston was organized in 1762. The Society appears to
have been organized about 1817, and was incorporated as
the Congregational Unitarian Society of Bernardston in

1891.

Ministers:

John Norton
Job Wright
Amasa Cook

(ord. 1741; dism. 174-5; d. 1778)
(ord. 1761; dism. 1782; d. 1823)
(ord. 1783; dism. 1805; d. 1816)

1. Amos Merriam and Joshua Johnson served provisionally
as deacons during the church's formative years, but appear
never to have been formally ordained or installed.
Sawyer, who helped to organize the church, was apparently
a deacon elsewhere, and served in the same capacity in
this church until formally elected to the post in 1787-

40

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Ebenezer Sheldon
Zebulon Allen
Elijah Kingsley
Jonathan Sheldon
Asaph Allen
Jesse Field
Prence Snow

>. 1743 ?, 1762-1765)

e. after 1756; d. 1786)

e. after 1761; d. 1839)

>. 1791 ; d. 1802)
res. and rem. 1796; d. 1841)

e. ca. 1800 ?; d. 1823)

e. ca. 1800 ?; d. 1828)

No records are extant for the years antedating 1809, a
lack noted by Timothy Rogers , CR I, under date of
September 20, 1809. The later records are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "Record." (Flyleaf: "Clergymans Record for The
First Congregational Church in Bernardston Mass. From
the year 1809»") 1809-present ; some memoranda of earlier
years -

SR I - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Con-
gregational or Unitarian Society of Bernardston - Com-
mencing the Nineteenth Day of February A.D. 1864.")
1864-1932.

Miscellaneous records:
1817-1875 •

Society Treasurer's Accounts,

BETHLEHEM, Church (see Otis).

BETHLEHEM AND LOUDON, United Society (see Otis)

41

BEVERLY, First (U).

Following action taken by Salem's First Church on Mar. 23,
1667. this church was gathered on Sept. 20 of the same
year its parish was organized in 1718. The Trustees of
the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 18?^-
The church was early known as "the Church of Christ at
Bass River in Salem" and as "the church at the North Side
of the Ferry." During the nineteenth century, it was also
popularly called "South" or "Old South" Church.

Ministers:

John Hale
Thomas Blowers
Joseph Champney
Joseph Willard,
3.T.D.

Joseph McKeen
Abiel Abbot

ord. 1667; d. 1700
ord. 1701; d. 1729
ord. 1729; a. 1773

(ord. colleague 1772;
dism. to presidency of
Harvard College 1781;
d. 1804)

(ord. 1785; dism. to
presidency of Bowdoin
College 1802; d. 1807)
(inst. 1805; d. 1828)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Humphrey Woodbury, Sr.
John Hill

Peter Woodbury, Sr*

Samuel Balch, Sr.

Peter Woodbury, Jr.

William Dodge

Jonathan Conant

Benjamin Balch

Israel Wood

Joseph Trask

Joseph Stevens

Israel Wood

Benjamin Cleeves

Joseph Foster

Benjamin Cleeves, Jr.

Caleb Wallis

Robert Roundey

Capt. Josiah Batchelder

, 1667/68;

1684; ord

1698)

, 1686; ord

1698)

, 1704; d.

, 1704; d.

, 1707; a.

, 1723/24)
. 1723/24;

. 1730/31;
. 1738)

. 17^3)
. 1744; m.

. 1752; m.

. 1752; m.

. 1761; d.

. 1761; d.

. ca. 1762;

. 1780)

ord. 1685)
1685;

. 1689;

1723)
1707)
ca. 1747)

m. 1745)
d. 1744)

1756)
1756)
1756)
1808)
1780)
d. 1812)

The records are church property, and are stored in a local

bank.

42

CR I - "A Church Book For the Church at Bass=River Side
^ tt; ^? ever:Le:7 -" CFlyleaf: "A Church Book, Containing;
The Affaieirs of The Church of Christ at Bass=River in
Salem [Which is sometimes called the North Side of the
Ferry] Which began y 20& September one thousand six
hundred sixty-seaven: Registered first by Robert Morgan
he bexng a brother of y c Said Church & desired & be-

trusted so to doe. And after him by y
Hale.") 1667-1772. J J

Pastor John

CR I COPY - MS "Copy of the First Book of Records of the
First Church in Beverly," transcribed 1868 by William P.
Upham. At Essex Institute, Salem.

2 R I J° P ^ 5£„- ^ii, 11 ^ P - Upham, "Beverly First Church
?r£ 0I ^A JPS' ^^ ^ 18 99), 177-211; XXXVI (1900), 141-
^2' 297-32TTXXXVII (1901) 177-200 345-368? OTIII
4r 19 ??k * 61 dfe 4 ' 257-272, 353-368; XXXIX (1903)7333-348 •
XL (1904) 129-144, 241-256; XLI (l 9 05), 193-226. Of fT '
printed under the title Records of the First Church in
Beverly, Massachusetts . 166JZ-122l~(SaTem" 1<505~7:

CR II - "Records. First Parish Church.
1802 [sic]." 1772-1803.

CR **J - "Records. First Parish Church.

Vol 2. 1775-

Vol 3. 1803-

?r R -. I y " " First Church Records 1830 to 1920 [sic J.
vol 4. Beverly, Mass." 1830-1923.

PR I - "The First Book of Records of the First Parish in
Beverly." (Flyleaf: "Book of Votes of the Inhabitants
ol Beverly first Parish, &. Acts of Comtees & Assessors.")
Parish records, 1718-1764.

l R I 1 7 ^ ReC °;T dS -, 1763 t0 1797 ' No - 2 -" (Flyleaf: "A
Book of Records of the Votes Acts & orders of the Inhab-
it f.\ Committ ee of the first Parish in Beverly:

l/t>^. )

PR III - "[Parish] Record Book. 1798 to 1830. No. 3."

r™ 1 ? V CP ^ ish] Record s. 1830 to 1872. No. 4."
(Flyleaf : "Book 4. Records of the First Parish in
1830"^ Be S innin & with the annual meeting, March 9*

43

Miscellaneous records: Parish Warrants, 1717-1302, 1802-
1870, 1870-1923; Parish Assessors 1 Rate Books, 1754-1782,
1782-1802, 1803-1825, 1835-1860; Parish Collector's
Accounts, 1720/21-1795, 1801-1846, 1840-1862, 1863-1865;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1764-1789, 1789-1836, 1836-
1905; Pew Deeds, 1835-1867.

BEVERLY, Second (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 28, 1715. The precinct,
variously called Royalside Precinct, Salem and Beverly
Precinct, North Precinct, and Second Precinct, had been
incorporated in 1713. The Second Congregational Society
was incorporated in 1866.

Ministers;

John Chipman
Eqos Hitchcock

Daniel Oliver
Moses Dow

ford. 1715; d. 1775)
Cord. 1771; dism. 1780

d. 1803)

(ord. 1787; dism. 1797

d. 1840)

(ord. 1801; dism. 1813

d. 1837)

Ruling elders; none.

Deacons : John Cresy ^
Jonathan Rayment
John Conant
Josiah Batchelder
Joshua Dodge
John Conant
Benjamin Trask
William Dodge
Samuel Conant

e. 1716; d. 1735)

e. 1722; d. 1745)

e. 1735; d. 1759-1760)

e. 1735, refused ?)

,e. 1739/40; d. 1774)

(e. 1755; m. 1780)

(e. 1771; m. 1774)

e. 1775; d. 1810)

e. 1781; d. 1811)

s

The records are church property, and are deposited with
the local historical society. Starred (*) items have
been microfilmed and Xeroxed.

1. Sometimes given as "Raymond."

44

CR I - "Records Second Church of Christ. Town of
Beverly 1715-1846." (Flyleaf: "This Book belongs to
the Second Church of Christ in Beverly Gathered out of
Salem and Beverly And Embodyed into a distinct Society on
the 28th Day of December in the year of our Lord 1715»"

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1848-ca. 1900.

PR I - "First Book of [Precinct] Records Commencing
November 13th 1713* This Booke belongs to y people of
y e Precinct of Salem & Beverly 1715- " 1715-1753.*

PR II - "Second Book of Records. Precinct of Salem &
Beverly's Book of Records." 1753-1792.*

PR III - Precinct/Parish Records, 1793-1862.*

PR IV - "Journal." Precinct/parish records, 1863-1904-.*

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1785-
1893; Precinct Committee's Records of Orders and Abate-
ments, 1715-1756; Parish Committee's Order Book, 1809-1836

BEVERLY, Dane Street (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 9, 1802 as the Third Con-
gregational Church, and a few years later took the name
Dane Street Congregational Church. The third Congrega-
tional Society was organized in 1802 and incorporated in
1803; it took the name Dane Street Society in Beverly at
its reincorporation in 1837*

Minister:

Joseph Emerson (sett. 1803; dism. 1816;

d. 1833)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Dike (e. 1802; d. 1837)
John Low (e. 1804; d. 1839)

45

The church clerk reports only miscellaneous fragments of
records antedating the incorporation of the church in
1920. Some details are given in Articles of Faith , and
Form of Covenant , Adopted by the Third Congregational
Church in Beverly , at Its formation , Nov . 9, 1802
(Boston, 1807); Edwin M. Stone, History of Beverly , Civil
and Ecclesiastical , from Its Settlement in 1650 to 1843
TEoston. 1845); Catalogue of the Officers and Members of

the Dane St. Church , Beverly . Mass , (.Boston, 1868 J;
Historical Sketches of the Bane Street Congregation

onal

Church . Beverly . Massachusetts (n.p. , 1902;; and Beverly
Historical Society. Historic Beverly (Beverly, 1937).

BEVERLY, Old South Church (see Beverly, First Parish).

BEVERLY, Royalside (Ryal Side) Precinct (see Beverly,
Second).

BEVERLY, South Church (see Beverly, First Parish).

BEVERLY, Third Church and Society (see Beverly, Dane
Street).

46

BILLERICA, First (U).

The church was gathered on Nov. 11, 1663, and incorpo-
rated in 1835 i the same year that the First Parish was
incorporated.

Ministers: Samuel Whiting, Jr.
Samuel Ruggles
John Chandler
Henry Cummings , D . D .

Ruling elders: none.

(sett. 1658; ord. 1663

d. 1713)

(sett. 1707; ord. 1708

d. 174-9)

(ord. 174-7; dism. 1760

d. 1762)

(ord. 1763; d. 1823)

Deacons: Joseph Tompson
Joseph Davis
Samuel Hill
Joshua Abbot

William Stickney
Samuel Whiting

Ralph Hill
Joshua Abbot, Jr.

Joshua Davie s

Dr. Timothy Danforth

Col. William Tompson

Oliver Crosby
Ebenezer Pemberton
Samuel Whiting

m. 1694:
d. 174-7)
m. 1737;

.m. 17^7;

d. 1769)

(m. 1751 ;

(e. 17^7;

d. 1772)

(e. 1754;
(e. 1764;

d. 1807)
(e. 1769;
(e. 1777;
(e. 1783;
d. 1806)
(e. 1789;
(e. 1799;
(e. 1799;
d. 1843)

d. 1732)

d. 1755)
res, 1764;

d. 1781)
res. 1769;

d. 1789)
res. 1799;

d. 1777)
d. 1792)
res. 1799;

d. 1825)
m. 1803)
res. ca. 1842;

No records for the years 1663-1747 are extant. The later
records are owned by the church and held by the Stearns
family of Billerica.

CR I - "A Church Book belonging to the Chh of Christ in
Billerica given to Said Chh by y persons hereafter named
who gave the Sums affixed to each of their names to pay
for it." 1747-1835/1842.

CR I COPY 1891 - MS copy, made in 1891.
transcription.

Some errors in

47

CR I COPY 1955 - Typescript copy of CR I, more faithful
to the original than CR I COPY 1891.

CR II - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Billerica, Massachusetts. Begun 1837." 1837-1869.

CR III & REG - [So-called] Minister's Book, with cove-
nants of 1815, 1840 and 1871, and signers, together with
church records, 1871-1917 •

VS I - "Record of Baptisms, Marriages & Deaths." 1837-
1856.

PR I - MISSING, Parish Records, 1835-1873. See PR II,
flyleaf, for note verifying destruction of this book by

fire in 1873.

PR I MISCELIANY - "Copy of Parish papers extant from 1849
to 1873." Copy of papers and records extant after the
1873 fire.

PR II - "Records of the First Parish in Billerica Com-
mencing March 31st A.D. 1873, Ending May 13, 1901."
1873-1901.

Miscellaneous records: Pew Deeds and Conveyances, 1802-
1882.

BILLINGSGATE (see Wellfleet).

BLA.CKSTONE (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Sept. 14, 1768 as the Church
in the South Precinct of Mendon. Sources indicate that
Che church had no regular ministry after 1812, and that
it became extinct about 1830.

43

The South Precinct of Mendon (incorporated in 1?6&) became
the town of Blackstone in 1845, and inasmuch as the meeting-
house was still standing, it was popularly designated the
meetinchouse of the First Parish in Blackstone- A further
alteration of boundary lines in 1916 placed the building
in the town of Millville, where it stands today, claimed
as the oldest unaltered meetinghouse in Massachusetts. It
is frequently described as the Chestnut Kill Church.
Frederick. L. Weis, Let the Work of the Fathers Stand (n.p. ,
1941), holds that the church elected the Unitarian position
toward the end of its existence (see also his The Colonial
C lergy and The Colonial Churches of I'ew England [.Lancaster,
Kass., 1936T7~P- 241 ;. He offers as evidence the fact that
a new orthodox Congregational Church was organized in the
area in lb41. Several additional facts, however, call his
conclusion into question. For one thing, Preserved Smith,
the last regular minister at the Chestnut Kill Meeting House,
did not himself declare for Unitarianism until 1820, eight
years after relinauishing the Chestnut Hill post. Further-
more, the preacher supplying Chestnut Kill from 1820 to 1822
was a Baptist, while the supply from 1826 till the church
ceased to function was an orthodox Congregationalist. It
seems more reasonable, tnerefore, to list this church as an
extinct Congregational body.

Ministers;

Benjamin 3alch
Supplies

Preservea Smith

(ord. 1768; res. 1773; d. 1815)
(1775-1605, supplied by the
ministers of Mendon's First
Church )

(inst. Mendon First ld05;
dism. 1812, having served this
church simultaneously through-
out this period; d. 1834)

V/eis, Let the Work of the Fathers Stand , reports all records
destroyed by fire at an unspecified date.

49

BLANDFORD (P/C).

The church was gathered in 1735 at Hopkinton by the
Reverend Thomas Prince, minister of Boston's Third (Old
South) Church; its membership consisted largely of Pres-
byterian immigrants hailing from Northern Ireland, to-
gether with a sprinkling of Irish Independents.
From 1735 to 1741 , it was known as the (Presbyterian)
Church in Glasco; in the latter year, the area became the
town of Blandford, and the church continued under that
title. In 1801, the church voted to adopt congregational
principles, an action rescinded later the same year. In
1805, it voted once again to become a Congregational
church, a decision that this time remained .Tirm.
The First Christian Society in Blandford was incorporated
in 1799 » and was superceded by the First Religious Society
incorporated in 1874.

Ministers:

William McClenathan'
James Morton
Joseph Patrick
Joseph Badger
John Keep

(inst. 17^4: rem. 1746

d. ca. 1758)

(ord. 1747; dism. 1767

d. 1793)

(ord. 1772; dism. 1772

d. 1783)

(ord. 1787; rem. 1800;

d. 1846)

(ord. 1805; rem. 1821;

d. ca. 1854)

Ruling elders: during its seventy-year Presbyterian
phase, the church supplied itself with ruling elders.
Six of these men served simultaneously as deacons, and
are designated by an asterisk {*) in the following list
of elders.

John Huston*
John Stewart*
David Boies*
Israel Gibbs*
Samuel Boies*
William Boies*
John Knox
Robert Laughead
Robert Blair
Robert Lloyd

(d. 1752)

(d. 1780)

(d. 1804)

(d. 1804)

(m. 1779-1789)

(m. 1779-1785)

(m. 1781; d. 1801)

(m. 1787; d. 1803)

1. Sometimes given as "McClanachan. "

50

Robert Henry (m. 1787)

Ephraim Gibbs (e. 1790; d. 1825)

David Ingraham Ce. 1790)

John Crooks (e. 1790; m. 1799)

Deacons: the following ruling elders served as deacons,
following the 1801 vote to change to Congregationalism:

William Boies
Samuel Boies
Robert Lloyd
Ephraim Gibbs

The following were elected to the diaconate v/ithout ever
having served as ruling elders:

Elihu Sperry (e. 1804: d. 1822)
Jesse Bishop (e. 1804)

No records for the years 1755-1781 are extant,
records are owned and held by the church.

The later

CR I - "First Records of the Congregational Church,
Blandford, Mass." 1781-1825.

CR I COPY - Typescript, "Copy of the First Records of the
Congregational Church, Blandford, Mass," 1781-1820.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Bland-
ford, Mass." 1823-1880.

CR II COPY - Typescript, "Copy of the Second Book of 1st
Cong. Church Records, Blandford, Mass. 1823-1880."

CR III - "Record Book of the First Cong. Church of Bland-
ford, Mass. 1880- " 1950.

SR I - "Record of y e first Society in Blandford." 1799-
1872.

SR I COPY - Typescript, "Record of y e first society in
Blandford," 1799-1873.

SR II - "Records of First Religious Society." 1873-1929
(dissolution of society).

51

BOLTON, First (U).

The church was gathered on Nov. 4-, 174-1. The First Parish
in Bolton was organized in 1778, being succeeded in 1834 by
The First Parish and Religious Society. The church and
society were incorporated as one body in 1905. On Feb. 28,
1931, the Unitarians federated with the local Baptist church
and Friends Meeting, retaining the title of The First Parish
and Heligious Society. At the present time, each retains
its separate identity, although one minister serves the
whole federated body.

Ministers: Thomas Goss

John Walley

Phineas Wright
Isaac Allen

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jabez Fairbank
Josiah Whitcomb
Nathaniel Longley
Daniel Nourse
Jonas Houghton
David Nourse
Abraham Moore
Jonathan Nourse
John Sawyer
Silas Holman

(ord. 1741; dism. 1771;
formed the Second Congre-
gational Church of Bolton
1771; d. 1780)
(inst. 1773; dism. 1783;
d. 1784- )

(ord. 1785; d. 1802)
(ord. 1804; d. 1844)

(m. 174-2-1744-)

(m. 175D

(m. 1783; res. 1813; d. 1827)

(m. 1792-1801)

m. 1803

d. 1803

e. 1803
e„ 1803; d. 1812)

(e. 1803; d. 1847)

No records for the years 1741-1782 are extant. The later
records are church property, and are deposited in the local
public library.

CR I - "Church Records. First Parish in Bolton." Scattered
records and miscellaneous memoranda, many gaps. 1782-1867. 1
Enclosure: "Church in Bolton: Rules of Discipline 1792

1. On the flyleaf, the following entry has been made: "No
Records earlier than these have been preserved. Sundry mat-
ters relating to ecclesiastical affairs are, however, to be
found in the Records of the Town."

52

to 1796o" Reorganization of the church's disciplinary-
life under Rev. Phineas Wright.

CR II - "Book of Records of the Votes and proceedings of
the Church of Christ in Bolton relative to pecuniary mat-
ters." 1801-1887, with memoranda to 1897; some non-
financial records.

PR I - "Records of the first Parish and Religious Society
in the town of Bolton began April 21st. 1834." 1834-1891

PR II - "First Parish & Religious Society Records from
March 8, 1891 to Sept. 23, 1930." Also contains pew
deeds, 1845-1857-

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1798
1887; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1844-1927.

BOLTON, Second (C), extinct.

Thomas Goss, minister of Bolton's First Church, was dis-
missed by church and town alike in 1771 on charges of
maladministration. (Goss' Toryism aggravated the offence
in the eyes of his parishioners.)

Instituting an unsuccessful lawsuit to collect his salary
from the town, Goss proceeded to gather a Second Church,
and held services in his home. After his death in 1780,
the membership of the Second Church was gradually reab-
sorbed in the First Church.

Minister: Thomas Goss (gathered church 1771; <i- 1780)

No records of this church are known to exist. See Town
of Bolton, History of Bolton , 1738 - 1938 (n.p., 1938).

BOLTON, South Church and Parish (see Berlin).

1 53

BOSTON, First and Second (U).

The First Church was gathered (at

Charles tov/n) on July 30,

1650, and within three months removed to 3oston. It re-

ceived incorporation on March 3> 1829.

The present church was constituted

in 1968 by merger with

Boston's Second Church, for which

a separate entry is made

below.

Ministers: John Wilson

(inst. teacher 1630;

inst. pastor 1632;

d. 166?)

John Cotton

(inst. teacher 1653;

d. 1652)

John Norton

(inst. teacher 1656;

d. 1663)

John Davenport

(inst. castor 1668;

d. 1669/70)

James Allen

(inst. teacher 1668;

a. 1710)

John Oxenbridge

(inst. oastor 1670;

a. 1674")

Joshua Moodey

(inst. assistant 1684;

a. 1697)

John Bailey

(inst. assistant 1693;

a. 1697)

Benjamin wadsworth

(ord. 1696; res. to be-

come President of Har-

vard 1725; d. 1736/37)

Thomas 3ridge

(inst. 1705; d. 1715)

Thomas Foxcroft

(ord. 1717; d. 1769)
(ord. 1727; a. 1787)

Charles Chauncy, D.D.

John Clarke, D.D.

(ord. 1778; d. 1798)
(inst. 1799; d. 1811)

William 3merson

Ruling elders: Increase iTov/ell

(e. 1650; dism. to

Charlestown Church

1632; d. 1655)

Thomas Oliver

(e. and ord. 1632;

d. 1657/58)

Thomas Leverett

-, (e. 1633; d. 1650)
bron (e. and ord. 1650;

Deacon William Col

d. 1662)

Deacon Jacob Jliot

(e. and ord. 1650;

d. 1651)

James Perm

(e. and ord. 1650;

d. 1671)

John Wis we 11

(e. 1670; d. 1637)

1. Sometimes given as "Colburn(e)

" or "Oolborn(e). M

54

Lt. Thomas Clarke

Timothy Prout
Isaac Addington

Deacon Joseph Bridgham*

Thomas Jackson

Deacon David Copp

(e. 1672; ord. 1673;

d. 1678)

(e. 1679; d. 1702)

(e. 1679;

d. 1714/15)

(e. 1694/95;

d. 1708/09)

(e. 1694/95;

d. 1710)

(e. and ord. 1701;

d. 1713)

Deacons: William Gager

William Aspinwall

William Colbron

Giles Firmin^
William Hutchinson

Jacob Eliot

Valentine Hill
Thomas Marshall
James Johnson

Richard Trusdale

Robert Sanderson

fe. 1630; d. 1630)
(e. 1630; Hutchinsonian; ban-
ished, demitted office, rem,
to R.I. 1638; in Boston 1642-
1653; rem. to England, d. ca.

1655)

(e. 1630; elev. to ruling

elder and ord. 1650; d. 1662)

fe. 1633; d. 1634)

(e. 1636; husband of Anne

Hutchinson; demitted office,

rem. to R.I. 1638; d. 1642)

(e. 1636; re-e. and ord. 1640;

elev. to ruling elder and ord.

1650; d. 1651)

(e. and ord. 1640; d. 1662)

fe. and ord. 1650; d. ca. 1665)

(e. and ord. 1650; dism. from

office 1667)

(e. and ord. 1650; res. and

dism. 1668/69; then rem. to

Boston 1 s Third Church; d. 1671)

(m. as deceased deacon 1687)

1. Those several authorities who list Deacon Henry Bridgham
as ruling elder of this church are in error.

2. Sometimes given as "Golburn(e)" or "Colborn(e). "

3. Alexander Gordon, Dictionary of National Biography (Ox-
ford, 1921-1922), VII, 45-45, and^tfilliston Walker, Tne
Creeds and Platforms of Congregationalism (New York, 1893),
p. 290, confuse two GyTes Firrains, father and son, errone-
ously making the son appear to have been the Boston deacon.
For evidence that it was the senior Firmin (not his son,
later distinguished in England as a partisan of presbyter-
ianism) who officiated at 3oston, see Winthrop' s Journal
(ed. by James K. Hosmer) (New York, 1908;, I, p. 110; com-
pare BOSTON, First, CR PUB I, 15, 16, 41.

55

Jacob liliot

3d ward Hansford

Henry Bridgham
Robert Sanders
Henry Allen
Henry Phillips
Joseph Bridgham

David

Gopp

John Dyer

John Marion, Jr

Isaiah Tay

Thomas Hubbart
Samuel Marshall
Jonathan Williams
Zechariah Thayer
Thomas Waite
Cornelius Thayer
Jonathan Williams,
Daniel Harsh

Jr

James
Jacob
David
James

Thwing
Williams

■~i

lilden
.orrill

(e. 1666-1667; dism. from office

1668/69 for supporting those who

formed Boston's Third Church;

d. 1680)

(e. 1666-1667; dism. from office

1663/69 for supporting those who

formed Boston's Third Church;

d. 1680)

(e. and ord. 1668; d. by 1571)

(e. and ord. 1568; d. 1693)

(e. and ord. 1668: d. 1696)

(e. 1672; m. 1633)

(m. when elev. to ruling elder

1694/95; d. 1708/09)

(e. 1694/95; ord. 1696; re-e.

1701; elev. to ruling elder

1701; d. 1713)

(e. 1694/955 orobably refused)

(e. 1695-1696; ord. 1696; re-e.

1701; d. 1727/28)

(e. and ord. 1701; refused to

officiate ca. 1712; dism. to

Boston's .Fourth (Brattle Square)

Church 1721; d. 1750)
(ord. 1704; d. 1717) , ,
e. 1717; ord. 1719; d. 1742/43)
e. 1717; ord. 1719; d. 1737)
e. 1728; ord. 1731; d. 1735/36)
(e. 1753/34; ord. 1735; d. 1775)
(e. 1736; ord. 1741; d. 1745)
(e. 1737; ord. 1741; d. 1738)
( e- 1747. !, 3ut to this day,
January l t 1754, declines
beinc ordained . " )
(e. 1779; d. 1789)
(e. 1779; d. in 7t. ca. 1821)
(e. 1789; d. ca. 18157

(e. 1789; d. 1533)

divided between

The records are owned by the church, and are

kept at the caurch and those deposited in a local
with a few exceptions duly noted.

those
bank,

1. Sometimes given as "Toy."

2. Not to be confused with his son, Deacon James Thwing,
elected in 1614, resigned 1315-

56

CR I - Church Records, 1630-1735, with baptismal acid
charitable records to 1847 and 1883, respectively.
(Binding marked "6.")

CR I COPY BOSTON FIRST - "Records from 1630 to 1847.
First Church Boston." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First
Church in Boston. From 1630 to 1847. Copied by David
Pulsifer. 1847.")

CR I COPY MHS - "First Church Records Boston — Old South
Baptisms at the end . " Undated copy of church records,
1630-1685, owned and held by Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston.

CR I COPIES CITY HALL

- "Records & Index. First Church Boston. 1630-
1687." (Flyleaf: "Vol. I. Records of Admissions
in The First Church, Boston. 1630 to 1687.")

- "Records. First Church Boston. 1630-1847.

Part 2." (Flyleaf: "Records of First Church, Bos-
ton. Church History, Admissions, Dismissions, Bap-
tisms. 1630-1847. Part II.")

- "Index to Records. First Church Boston. 1630-
1847." (Flyleaf:
of] Records of the

missions, Baptisms of the First Church in Boston.
1630-1847.")

- "Records. First Church Boston. 1630-1847.
Baptisms. "

- "Index to Records. First Church Boston. 1630-
1847. Baptisms." (Flyleaf: "Index to the Records
of Baptisms of the First Church, Boston. 1630 to
1847.")

These undated copies are owned and held by the Registrar
of Vital Statistics, City Hall, Boston. As will be seen
by comparing dates, all copies extend beyond the terminus
ad quem of CR I.

"Index [Names] to [The two Parts
Church History, Admissions, Dis-

1. CR PUB I, vi-vii, lists this as "Volume I." In not-
ing the existence of several copies of these records,
Pierce adds that "some baptismal records [to 16993 sup-
plementing the recorded Boston births, were published in
The Report of the Record Corcmi ssioners containing Boston
Births , Baptisms , Marriages and Deaths ," "1630 - 1699 (Boston,
188377 ajl< ^ the signers of the church covenant through 1639
were printed in the Nemo rial History of Boston (Boston,
1882), I, 366-573."

57

CR II - "Records of the First Church in Boston - Begun
July 11th: MDCCLXXXVI." 1 (Flyleaf: "Records of The First
Church of Christ in Boston Begun July 11. 1786.") Church
records, 1786-1815, as well as records of joint meetings of
church and congregation.

CR III - Church Records, 1828-1841, with baptisms for 1794 ?
and names of signers of covenant, 1786-1824 and 1829-1955.

CR IV - "First Church. 1841." Church records, 1841-1919;
baptisms, 1858-1955; funerals, 1919-1955; also, legacies,
1671-1815.^

C MISC I - "Record of Marriages in The First Church."
1955-*

1801-

CR PUB I, II, III - Richard D. Pierce (ed.), "The Records of
The First Church in Boston, 1630-1868," CSMP, XXXIX, XL, XLI
(Boston, 19^1). Contains the above-cited MS records (within
specified date limitations) and PROP I (cf. below). ■*

C MISC II - "Marriage Record." 1898-1905-

1. CR PUB I, vii, lists this as "Volume IV."

2. CR PUB I, vii, lists this as "Volume II."

3. CR PUB I, vii, lists this as "Volume III."

4. CR PUB I, vii, lists this as "Volume VI," printing the
entries through 1867-

5. These three volumes, paginated continuously, are inter-
nally numbered as Vols. I, II, III, and are so cited in the
thesis.

6. Some miscellaneous marriage records were published by
Jeremiah Colburn, "Marriages in Boston, Mass, from the
Original Certificates of the Clergymen Officiating," NEHGR,
XXXIV (1880), 94-96 (covers 1707) » and by Anson Titus,
"Marriages of Rev. Thomas Foxcroft, A.M., Boston. 1717-
1769," on. cit., XLII (1888), 152-155, 250-254.

58

Other miscellaneous church records: Records of the Sacra-
mental and Poor Fund, 1696-1731, 1779-1812, 1814-1833,
1834-1884; Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1699-1728. 1755-
1814, 1711-1788.

PROP I - "Records of First Church. 1 ' Records of the
Proprietors of the Pews, 1808-1868.

PROP I COPT - "Original Records of the Meetings of the
Proprietors of the First Church from August 1823. to
July 1828. The contents of this Book are all copied
into a Record Book now in use by the Proprietors' Clerk
July 1862."

PROP II - Proprietors' Records, 1869-1910.

Miscellaneous proprietors 1 records: Standing Committee,
1881-1910; Pew Deeds, 1869-1921.

BOSTON, Second (U).

The church was gathered on June 5, 1650, and was popularly
known as "The Old North Church." (not to be confused with
the Episcopal church similarly designated). The Second

1. CR PUB I, vii-viii, lists this as "Volume V," and
gives the following brief explanation: "The proprietors
were the legal corporation of pew holders who owned the
church buildings and managed the secular affairs of the
church. Gradually, however, many of the proprietors of
pews ceased to have any active connection with the parish
and it became increasingly desirable that the control of
the church property be exercised by a more responsible
body. Accordingly, a board of five trustees was created
and, on April 22, 1922, a majority of the pew owners con-
veyed their rights to five proprietors acting concurrently
as trustees. By 1936 all the pews had been so transferred
and the membership of the proprietors and trustees there-
after became identical. The Trustees, in addition to
carrying the responsibilities of the pew proprietors, also
act as successors to the elders and deacons in the holding
and administering of charitable funds."

59

Church and Society of Boston was incorporated on Feb. 4,
1824.

Pour mergers have occurred during the church's lifetime.
In 1741-1742, a group of Old Light opponents of the revival,
led by junior pastor Samuel Mather, seceded and constituted
Boston's Tenth Church- In accordance with Mather's dying
wish, the surviving members of the Tenth Church returned to
the Second Church in 1785-1786.

During the siege of Boston, the Second Church's (second)
meetinghouse was destroyed by the British. Following the
war, in 1779 this congregation merged with that of the
Seventh ("New Brick") Church, retaining the name of the
Second ("Old North") Church.

In 184-5 1 a merger was effected with the Church of the Sav-
iour, the bodies being incorporated as The Second Church on
Feb. 22 of that year.

In 1968, following a fire which destroyed the First Church's
building, that body and this merged to form The First and
Second Church of Boston.

Ministers :

John Mayo

Increase Mather, D.D.

Cotton Mather, D.D.

Joshua Gee

Samuel Mather, D.D.

Samuel Checkley, Jr.
John Lathrop, D.D.

(inst. pastor 1655;
dism. 1673; d. 1676)
(ord. teacher 1664;

a. 1723)

ford. 1685; d. 1727/28)

(ord. 1723; d. 1746)

(ord. 1732; dism. 1741;
d. 1785)

(ord. 1747; d. 1768)

(ord. 1768; d. 1816)

Ruling elders: Michael Powell (e. 1655; d. 1672)

Avery (e. 1680, probably refused)

Deacons: Christopher Gibson
John Phillips
Daniel Turell

Stone

Hudson

John At wood
Obadiah Gill
John Barnard
Thomas Baker

ord. 1670; d. 1673-1676)

ord. 1670; d. 1682)

e. 1678; m. 1693)

e. 1678; m. 1693)

e. 1678; m. 1693)

e. 1693; ord. 1695; d. 1714)

e. 1693; ord. 1695; d. 1701)

e. 1693; ord. 1695; d. 1730)

e. 1701; m. 1728)

1. Sometimes given as "Turil" or "Tyrill." Turel, Stone
and Hudson were elected "to supply the place" of deacons in
1678; they are mentioned in 1693, but it is possible that
they were never ordained.

60

Edward Proctor

John Buchanan

Grafton Feveryeare

William Larrabee

Edward Langdon

Thomas Tyler

William Bordman ,

Deacon Jonathan Brown

Deacon John Tudor

Deacon Thomas Gre enough

Samuel Ridgeway

William Bell 5

Deacon Benjamin Henderson^

Samuel Parkman

Thomas Lewis

>. 1718-1751)

.e. 1720; m. 1728)

(e. 1728; m. 1754)
e. 1728; m. 174-9)
;m. 17^9-1765)
e. 1751; d. 1770)
(e. 1771; m. 1799)
(adm. 1779; d. 1785
(adm. 1779; d. 1795
(adm. 1779; d. 1785
(m. 1786; d. 1799)
(m. 1786-1799)
(adm. 1786; m. 1799)
(e. 1801; rem. 1824)
(e. 1801; m. 1806)

The records are owned by the church and deposited with the
Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, unless otherwise
noted*

Each of the total of eighty-nine books and boxes held by
the Society has been assigned an Arabic numeral by church
officials, and this is given in parentheses, following
the code designation, in the case of each item cited below
It should be noted that Item 85 is the only extant book of
early records of Boston's Arlington Street Church.
Not listed below, but worthy of note (and quoted in the
thesis) are the following: "Diary of Increase Mather,"
HH3P . 2nd Ser. , XIII (1899-1900), 34-0-374, 398-411; M. G.
Hall, "The Autobiography of Increase Mather," AASP , LXXI
(1961), 271-360; and Worthington C. Ford (ed.), "Diary of
Cotton Mather," MHSC, 7th Ser., VII-VIII (1911-1912).

VS I (2) - "1682 1717 [sic].' 1 Church membership, 1650-
1741 ; Cotton Mather's "little book."

VS I COPY (2 1 ) - "1682 1717 [sic]." "Library of the
Second Church Boston." MS copy of VS I.

1. Brown, Tudor and Greenough were admitted in 1779 from
Boston's Seventh or New Brick Church, where all had served
as deacons.

2. See William Tudor (ed.), Deacon Tudor 1 s Diary
(Boston, 1896).

3. Henderson was admitted in 1786 from the Tenth Church,
where he had served as a deacon.

61

VS II (1) - "1659 (" illegible ] N. 1 now 1785 [deduct]
1659 passed off 126 years." Membership, 1663-1741-

VS FRAG (79) - Three fragmentary leaves, with some 17 tt
century baptisms and admissions.

CR I (3) - "1674 [sic] 1685. Book No. 1#." 1673-1685. 1

CR II (4) - "1689 to 1716. pBook No 2
Records from 1689 to 1717."

CR III (5 1 ) - "1717 1741. Book No 3
Records from 1717 to 1741."

CR IV (6) - "1741 1816. Book No 4
Records from 1741 to 1816."

Second Church

Second Church

Second Church

VS III (7) - "1768 1816. Book No 5 Form of Admissions
into Second Church and Record of Marriages and Deaths
1768 to 1816."

VS IV (8) - "Old North or Second Church June 5, [ illeg -
ible ] Baptisms & Admissions to 1741.5 Admissions, 1655
1747, 1768-1808; baptisms, 1689-1741. D

VS COPY REG A - "Records Second Church Boston 1676-
1740." Baptisms and admissions, 1676-1740; owners of
covenant, 1692-1741. Owned and held by the City Regis-
trar, City Hall, Boston.

1. "It must needs be acknowledged, thac there hath bin
a great defect as to y Administration of Government in
this church, in that although this Second Church in Bos-
ton hath bin constituted now 23 years & more, yet no
church Booke hath bin made use of wherein church votes,
the Admission & Dismission of members, Baptisms, Censures
&c should have bin recorded, The neglect whereof for so
long a time hath caused things to be so farr out of order,
that I find it difficult, yea impossible, to [restore?]

to that state w is desirable." CR I (3), p. 1.

2. Some miscellaneous marriage records were published by
Jeremiah Colburn, "Marriages in Boston, Mass. from the
Original Certificates of the Clergymen Officiating,
NEHGR, XXXIV (1880), 94-96 (covers 1701, 1715).

3. A note on p. 27 remarks that most of the vital statis-
tics for 1741-1768 were lost during the Revolutionary War.

62

VS COPY REG B - "Records & Index Second Church Boston
1741-1816." (Flyleaf: "Records of Admissions and Bap-
tisms of the Second Church Boston. 1741 to 1816.") As
described, together with owners of the covenant. Owned
and held by the City Registrar.

VS V (No number) - "1794 Church Book." Church member-
ship, 1786-1815; compiled in 1794 by John Lathrop and
carried through 1815.

CR V (9) - "1816 1833. Second Church Records." 1816-
1833, with membership lists back to 1775*

CR VI (10) - "1833 1872. Records."

CR VII (14) - "184A 1899. Records Second Church."
Secretarial transcript of church meetings, 1844-1899,
overlapping CR VI.

Miscellaneous church records: Church Treasurer's Accounts,
1662-1676, 1711-1741, 1734-1812, 1812-1896, 1895-1916;
Church and Society Committee Records, 1801-1824, 1823-1845,
1845-1872, 1872-1897-

PROP I (12) - "1719 1803. 1719 Proprietors The New
Brick Church Book of Records." Proprietors 1 records of
Seventh (New Brick) Church, 1719-1779; of the merged
churches, 1779-1803.

PROP II (19) - "1804 1845.
from May 3, 1804 to 1845."

PROP III (20) - "1845 1873.
Records. "

PROP IV (18) - "1873 1889.
Record,"

N 2 Proprietors Records

Second Church Proprietors
Second Church Proprietors

Miscellaneous proprietors records: Proprietors Treas-
urer's Accounts, 1774-1788, 1791-1806, 1806-1322, 1822-
1836, 1832-1895; Pew Deeds, 1804-1810, 1815-1823, 1825-
1828, 1828-1340, 1834-1874.

63

BOSTON, Third (C).

The church was gathered by persons seceding from Boston's
First Church on May 12, 1669; its Society was organized
in 1735- The church was incorporated as the Old South
Church on March 26, 184-5; the Old South Society was incor-
porated in 1859-

Ministers:

Thomas Thacher
Samuel Willard
Ebenezer Pemberton
Joseph Sewall , D.D
Thomas Prince
Alexander Cumming
Samuel Blair, D.D.

John Bacon

John Hunt

Joseph Eckley, D.D,

(inst. 1669/70; d. 1678)
(inst. 1678; d. 1707)
(ord. 1700; d. 1717/18)
(ord. 1713; d. 1769)
(ord. 1718; d. 1758)
(inst. 1761; d. 1765)
(inst. 1766; dism. 1769;
d. 1818)

(ord. 1771; dism. 1775;
d. 1820)

(ord. 1771; d. 1775)
(ord. 1779; d. 1811)

Rulincc elder: Deacon Edward Raynsford (e. 1669; ord.

1669/70; d. 1680)

Deacons: Deacon Jacob Eliot
Peter Bracket

Capt. Theophilus Frarye

p

Nathaniel Williams

Capt. James Hill

Capt. Samuel Checkley

Bartholomew Green
Daniel Henchman
Jonathan Simpson

(e.

1669;

ord. 1669/70;

d.

1693)

(e.

1669;

ord. 1669/70;

d.

1688)

(e.

. 1684

?;

ord. 1685;

d.

1700)

(e.

i 1693;

d.

1714)

(e.

, 1693;

d.

1720/21)

(e,

, 1693,

re

fused;

e.

1700-1703

; d. 1738)

(e,

. 1719;

d.

1732)

(e,

. 1719;

d.

1761)

(e,

, 1733;

d.

1763)

1. Raynsford was summarily dismissed from the diaconate
of Boston* s First Church in 1668/69 for his opposition to
the settlement over that church of Rev. John Davenport,
as was Deacon Jacob Eliot.

2. Described as "Captain" by Sewall, " Diary ," cited in
Hamilton A. Hill, History of the Old South Church ( Third
Church ) Boston 1669 - 1884 "(Boston and New York, 1890),
II, p. 296. Apparently Williams received the title some
time before 1694, but after election to the diaconate.

64

Thomas Hubbard

Samuel Sewall

David Jeffries
William Phillips

Jonathan Mason
Thomas Dawes
Samuel Salisbury
William Phillips, Jr.

(e. 1739; res. 1764;

d. 1773)

(e. 1763; res. 1770;

d. 177D

(e. 1763; d. 1785)

(e. 1764; res. and rem,

1793; d. 1804)

(e. 1770; d. 1798)

e. 1786; d. 1809)

e. 1794; d. 1818)

e. 1794; d. 1827)

The records are owned and held by the church, unless
otherwise noted.

Not listed below, but useful for certain phases of the
church's history are "Letter-Book of Samuel Sewall [1672-
1734], " MHSC , 6th Ser. f I (1886), II (1888); "Diary of
Samuel Sewall. 1674-1729," 0£. cit., 5th Ser tt , V (1878),
VI (1879), VII (1882); "Diary ofTiremiah Bumstead, 1722-
1727," NEHGR, X (1861), 193-204, 305-315; "Diary of the
Rev. Thomas Prince, 1737," CSHP , XIX (1916-1917), 331-
364; "A Journal Kept During the Time Y° Boston Was Shut
Up in 1775-6. By Timothy Newell, Esqr. , One of the
Select Men of the Town," MHSC, 4th Ser., I (1852), 261-276

CR NARRATIVE YALE - "Third Church Narrative, 1667-1674,"
an account of the events 1667-1674 compiled ca. 1691 by
a committee (Samuel Sewall, Jacob Eliot, Theophilus
Frarye, Joshua Scottow) at the request of the church.
The "Narrative" was evidently prepared in duplicate;
Wisner's 1830 History of the Old South Church mentions
finding two leaves among miscellaneous church papers.
The Yale University Library copy, lacking only p. 1, was
copied for Hamilton A. Hill during the winter of 1885-
1886. and incorporated by him in his History « I, pp. 11-
202 (see CR PUB). This MS owned and held by Yale Uni-
versity Library, as part of the Ezra Stiles papers; it
now lacks pp. 1 and 87*

CR NARRATIVE YALE COPY HILL - MISSING, the above-noted
1885-1886 copy made for Hill.

1. Hamilton A. Hill, "William Phillips and William
Phillips, Father and Son, 1722-1827," NEHGR , XXXIX (1885),

109-118.

65

CR I - "Old South Church." 1669-1766. The back of the
book contains records of the church-and -congregation (the
Society); see SR I below.

CR I COPY - "Records of O.S. Church Copy of First
Volume." (Flyleaf: "The Records of the Old South Church,
in Boston. A copy of the first volume, comprising from
1669 to 1766. Containing also, the first Records of the
Church and Congregation, being from 1735 to 1767- 1858.")
Copy of CR I - SR I, made in 1858.

CR II - "Church Minutes." 1768-1816.

CR II COPY - "Record O.S. Church Copy of Second Volume."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Old South Church in Boston
Volume 2. 1768 to 1816. Copied from the original volume
I860.") Copy made in 1860.

CR III - "Old South Church Records." 1817-1854-

CR I - II - III INDEX - "Index to Records. Vols. 1. 2. 3."
(Flyleaf: "Index A to the First three volumes of the
Records of Old South Church in Boston*,") Topical index,
undated.

CR IV - "Records" (binding title), "Old South Church"
(cover title). 1855-1888.

CR V - "Old South Church." 1888-1907-

CR PUB - Hamilton A. Hill. History of the Old South
Church ( Third Church ) Boston I669-lBB4 « Boston and New
York, 1890. Two vols."

In first volume, "Preface," v-vi, Hill notes that his
History contains a complete publishment of all church
records and society records through 1821, and excerpts
therefrom, 1821-1884. It should be noted however that
Hill occasionally omits naming the subjects of disci-
plinary proceedings, and that he omits the vital statis-
tics which were published elsewhere m 1883 Ccf. VS pub;.

VS BAP I - "Old South Church." Baptisms, 1669-1875; some
minor lacunae.

1. Some miscellaneous marriage records were published by
Jeremiah Colburn, "Marriages in Boston, Mass. from the
Original Certificates of the Clergymen Officiating.
NEHGR. XXXIV (1880), 9^-96 (covers 1702, 1742-17^).

66

VS BAP II - "Baptisms, From 1857, September 2715." Chron-
ological and alphabetical baptismal lists, 1857-1920.

VS BAP COPY REG I - "Records Old South Church Boston
1669-1875 Baptisms." Owned and held by City Registrar,
City Hall, Boston.

VS BAP COPY REG II (INDEX) - "Records and Index Old
South Church Boston 1669-1875." (Flyleaf: "Index to
the Records of Baptisms of Old South Church Boston 1669
to 1875.") Owned and held by City Registrar.

VS ADM I - "Admissions Old South Church." Admissions to
full church membership, 1669-185^; owners of the covenant,
1669-1814. Minor lacunae.

VS ADM II (INDEX) - "Alphabetical List of Members."
1669-1855.

VS ADM COPY REG I - "Records & Index Old South Church
Boston 1669-1833." (Flyleaf: "Records of Admissions
and Full Communions of the Old South Church Boston From
1669 to 1833.") Owned and held by the City Registrar.

VS ADM III t - "List of Members of Old South Church
January 1. 1855 as p Catalogue published at that time
& those who have been added since." Church membership as
of 1855 j with additions through 1923; chronological and
alphabetical listings.

VS MAR I - "Marriages." (Flyleaf: "Record of Marriages
solemnized by Reverend Joseph Eckley D.D. Pastor of the
Old South Church in Marlborough Street Boston. Collected
& arranged from the Town Clerk's Certificates of publish-
ment on file, and the original Memorandums made thereon
in the handwriting of Rev. Doct. Eckley, certifying the
Marriages . " ) 1780-1882.

VS MAR I DUP - "Marriages." 1808-1839.

VS MAR/FUNR II - "Funerals." 1895-1918; funerals, 1895-
1920.

VS PUB - 1669 - 1882 An Historical Catalogue of the Old
5out;h Church (Third Church) Boston. Boston, 1883-

67

Miscellaneous church records: Church Committee Records,
1855-1897; records of a joint stock company organized by-
church members for charitable purposes, 1754—1771; records
of the Union Church of Essex Street, which merged with Old
South in 1920; financial records of the Berkley Temple and
Berkley Street Society.

It is difficult to arrange the Society's books in chron-
ological sequence, since there are three overlapping
types of records: Society Records, books containing
records of the Society and its Standing Committee, and
records of the Standing Committee alone,

SR I - "Old South Church." This is the back of the book
designated above as CR I. Subtitle: "This Book belongs
to the South Church in Boston." Records of the church-
and -congregation (Society), 1735-1767-

SR II - "Society's Minutes," Church-and-congregation
records, 1768-1802.

S COM & SR III - "Votes Orders & Proceedings of the South
Chh & Congregation In Marlborough Street Boston. " Stand-
ing Committee records and some church-and-congregation
(Society) votes, 1735-1819.

S COM & SR IV - Records of the Society and of the Stand-
ing Committee, 1787-1823-

S COM V - "Old South Records.
records, 1824-1842.

Standing Committee

S COM & SR VI - "Old South Society Records." Society
records and some Standing Committee records, 1819-1845.

SR/PROP VII - "Old South Church. Inc. March 1845."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Old South Church in 3oston
Incorporated March 1845.") Records of pew proprietors
(replacing Society), 1845-1866.

S COM VIII - "Old South Society, Incorporated March 1845,
(Flyleaf: "Records of Society 1867-1876.") Standing
Committee records only, 1867-1876.

S COM IX - "Standing Committee, Old South Society."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Standing Committee of the Old
South Society, Boston, Begun May 29& 1876. and ended
October 8, 1896.")

68

SR/PROP X - "Records," "Old South Society, Incorporated
March 1845." Records of pew proprietors, 1877-1896.

Miscellaneous society records: Pew Deeds, 1783-1860,
1820-1865, 1845-1877, 1876-1922; Pew Accounts, 1786-1808,
1810-1844, 1845-1865.

BOSTON, French Huguenot, extinct.

The church was gathered in 1686 by persons who migrated
to America following the revocation in 1685 of the Edict
of Nantes. The church building was sold to the congrega-
tion of Boston's Eleventh Church in 1748, and the sur-
viving membership by 1764 had been absorbed into the other
Boston churches.

Ministers: Laurentius Van den Bosch

David de Bonrepos
Ezechiel Carre

Daniel Bondet

Pierre Daille
Andre Le Mercier

(ord. in the Church
of England; sett,
in Boston 1685 and
rem. later that
year; d. 1696)
(sett. 1686; rem.
1688; d. 175*0
(sett. 1689; renu
1691)

(ord. in the Church
of England; sett.
1694; rem. 1696;
d. 1722)

(sett. 1696; d. 1715)
(sett. 1715; minis-
tered to French
families until
d. 1764)

Only a few of the lay officers of the church are known.
Mentioned in a land deed of 1704/05 are elders John Tar-
tarien, Francis Bredon, Jean Dupuis [John Dupee], and
John Portree. Elder Stephen Boutineau, after the dis-
solution of this church, became a member of Boston's
Third Church, and served on committees there until his
death in 1761.

69

No records of the church are extant. See A. Holmes,
"Memoir of the French Protestants, who Settled at Oxford,
Massachusetts, A.D. 1686; with a Sketch of the Entire
History of the Protestants of France," MHSC, 3rd Ser. , II
(1830), 1-83; E. T. Fisher (trans.), Report of a French
Protestant Refugee in Boston [1687-1688] (Brooklyn, 1868);
Charles C. Smith, '"The French Protestants in Boston," in
Justin Winsor (ed.), Memorial History of Boston (Boston,
1880-1881), II. pp. 249-268; Worthington C. Ford,
"Ezechiel Carre and the French Church in Boston," MHSP,
LII (1919), 121-132; Percival Merritt, "The French~!Frotes-
tant Church in Boston," CSMP, XXVI (1924-1926), 323-348,
privately reprinted (Cambridge, 1927).

BOSTON, King's Chapel (U).

The Proprietors of King's Chapel organized on June 15,
1686. Although the church relinquished its connection
with the Church of England about the time of the Revolu-
tionary War, and adopted a revised prayer book embodying
anti-Trinitarian sentiments in 1785* it retained a quasi-
episcopalian form of government, so that it falls outside
the realm of this study.

The records of King's Chapel are church property, and are
deposited with the Massachusetts Historical Society, Bos-
ton. Copies of the vital statistics are held by the City
Registrar, Boston. Of the several published histories
available, the best-known is Henry Wilder Foote's three-
volume Annals of King ' s Chapel from the Puritan Age to
the Present Day (Boston, 1882, 1395 , "T^OTT"

BOSTON, Fourth (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Dec. 12, 1698, and was vari-
ously known as the Brattle Street Church, the Brattle
Square Church, and because of its publication in 1699 of

70

a platform of practice differing from that of the other
Puritan churches, was frequently referred to as "The
rianifesto Church." The undertakers were originally organized
in 1697, and the Proprietors of the Church in Brattle Square
incorporated in 1822. In 1871, a new church building was
erected, but proved fonancially so burdensome that in 187b
the building was sold, and church and society became extinct.

Ministers:

Benjamin Colman, D.D.

Eliphalet Adams

William Cooper, D.D.
Samuel Cooper, D.D.

Peter Thacher, D.D.
Joseph S. Buckminster

(ord. 1699 England; sett
here 1699; d. 174-7)
(sett, as assistant 1701
1704; d. 1753)
(ord. 1716; d. 174-3)
(sett. 1744; ord. 174-6;

d. 1783)

(inst. 1785; d. 1802)

(ord. 1805; d. 1812)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons: Thomas Brattle

Capt. (later Major) Benjamin Davis

Richard Draper

John Kilby

Benjamin Gibson

Jacob Parker

John Phillips

Capt. Ebenezer Storer
Ebenezer Storer

(e. 1699;
res. 1701)

(e. 1699;
res. 1702)

(e. 1701;

d. 1729)
(e. 1702;
d. 1722)
(e. 1717;

m. 174-5)
(e. 1722;
m. 1724)
(e. 1729;
m. 1745)
(d. 1761)
(m. 1766;
res. 1773;
d. 1807)

1. "[Johnl Boyle's Journal of Occurrances in Boston, 1759-
1778," NEHGR , LXXXI7 (1930), 142-171, 248-272 357-382
LXXXV (T33T7, 5-28, 117-133, makes frequent reference to the
Fourth Church, of which Boyle was a member, and under date
of 1761 records the death of the elder Deacon Storer. The
Deacon Storer who resigned his church office ml77| was tne
son of Capt. Storer; from 1771 until his death in 1807, he
also served as Treasurer of Harvard College.

71

Daniel Bell
Timothy Newall
Capt. John Gore
Samuel Barrett
James Lanman
Nathaniel Hall
Moses Grant
Peter Thacher

res. 1786)

m. 1788-1790)

e. 1788)

e. 1788; res. 1792

e. 1788; rem. 1804

e. 1793; rem. 1804

e. 1793; m. 1805)
e. 1804)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are held by the City
Clerk, Boston.

Not included in the inventory, but helpful in reconstruct-
ing the church's history are the Boyle Journal (see above),
and Thaddeus W. Harris and John L. Sibley, "Memoranda from
the Rev. William Cooper's Interleaved Almanacs," NEHGR,
XXX (1876), 435-441, XXXI (1877), 4-9-55.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1699-1804. A memorandum,

VS I BAP COPY REG, p. v, says: "March 28, 1898. The

original records are now in the custody of the City
Clerk. "*

VS I COPY REG - "Records & Index Brattle St. Church
Boston 1700-1803* " (Flyleaf: "Records of Marriages and
Admissions of Brattle Street Church Boston 1700 to
1803.") Admissions, 1699-1802; marriages, 1700-1802.
City Registrar.

VS I MP COPY REG - "Records & Index Brattle Street
Church Boston 1699-1804 Bapt. & Marr. " (Flyleaf:
"Records of Baptisms, Marriages and Admissions of Brattle
Street Church Boston.") Baptisms only, 1699-1804. City
Registrar.

CR II - Church Records, 1804-1846. This book has been
disassembled and is currently comprised of the following
loose parts: church records, 1804-1846; baptisms, 1805-
1836; marriages, 1805-1836, 1839, 1850-1852; admissions,
1805-1835; deaths, 1805-1834.

1. Sometimes given as "Landman. "

2. Some miscellaneous marriage records were published by
William 3. Appleton, "Marriages in Boston, Mass. from the
Original Certificates of the Clergymen Officiating,"
NEHGR. XXXIV (1880), 190-191 (covers 1708, 1719).

72

Records

of the Church in

bxgts ox Communicant s, Bap-
Tl&gfWi (JBoatoa, I9T527.

CR PUB - The Manifesto Church

Brattle Square , Boston , with Lists

tisms , Karria,^es~nd Funerals"

A combination of sketchy records^ "ministers' diaries, etc

SR I - "Votes & Proceedings of the Church & Congregation
... Meeting in Brattle Street BOSTON." Society records,
1755-1805.

SR II - "N? 2." (Flyleaf: "Proceedings of the Society in
Brattle Street, from August 12, 1805.") 1805-1828.

Miscellaneous society records: Standing Committee, 1805-
1821, 1821-1852, 1866-1871] Treasurer's Accounts, 1844-
1874; Pew Deeds, 1829-1854; Pew Tax Accounts, 1854-1868.

BOSTON, Fifth (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on May 5, 1714 as the Fifth or
New North Church, the latter name indicating its deriva-
tion from Boston's Second (Old North) Church. The Mem-
bers of the New North Society were incorporated in 1805.
In 1863, the Fifth Church and Society undertook to merge
with Boston's Bulf inch-Street Church and Society, an
action concluded with the dissolution of the Fifth Society
in 1884, although the resulting merged church itself be-
came extinct shortly thereafter.

Ministers: John Webb

Peter Thacher

Andrew jjliot, D.D.
John Eliot

Cord. 1714; d. 1750)
(inst. as senior pastor
1719/20; d. 1738/39)
(ord. 174-2; d. 1778)
(ord. 1779; d. 1813)

Ruling elders :

John Baker
Deacon Caleb Lyman
Deacon John Dixwell
Deacon Samuel Barrett

(e. 1720; ord.
1721; m. 1746)
(e. 1720; ord.
1721; d. 1743)
(e. 1720; ord.
1721; d. 1725)
(e. 1725; ord.
1726; d. 1736)

73

Deacon Joshua Cheever (e. 1756; ord.

1 1737; m 1750)

William Parkman"

Deacons: Caleb Lyman

John Barrett
John Dixwell

Joseph Webb

Joshua Cheever

Samuel Barrett

Ephraim Hunt
Jo si ah Langdon

Samuel Grant
John Barrett
Samuel Holland

Gibbins Sharp

Capt. Samuel Barrett
Capt. John Simpkins
Joseph Kettell

(e. 1743; d. 1775)

(e. 1714; elev. to ruling
elder 1720; d. 1743)
(e. 1714; ord. 1721)
(e. 1717; elev. to ruling
elder 1720; d. 1725)
(e. 1720; ord. 1721;

m. 1739)

(e. 1720; ord. 1721; elev.

to ruling elder 1736;

m. 1750)

(e. 1723; ord. 1724; elev.

to ruling elder 1725;

d. 1736)

(e. and ord. 1726; m. 1736)

(e. 1736; ord. 1737;

d. ca. 17^2)

(e. 1742; m. 1776)

(e. 1742; m. 1776)

(e. 1752; res. 1774;

do ca. 1793)

e. 1774; m. 1805)

e. 1776; d. 1798)

e. 1776; d. 1831 )

e. 1798; d. 1815)

1. Francis Parkman's A Survey of God's Providence in the
Esta blishment of The Churches qT~ New- Inland : TTSermon
Del ivered Tn ~3oston , November 2%, 1S14 » on ^ Completion
of a Century Since the Settlement of the New-North Church
"Ctoston, 1314) claims Ruling KLder William Parkman was
the last to be elected to that office in any of the
Boston churches.

Bos

2. Ephraim Eliot's Historical
Religious Society in the Town or
of the Reverend Andrew and Joan .
182?T"holds the first three deacons e
Comby, Edward Proctor and James
notes, they were elected deacons
ing dismissed from Old North,
unusual so Chat Rev. Cotton
three dismissions- New

Notices of the New North
on. with Anecdotes

n Eliot &c. &c. (Boston,

lected were Robert
, however, as he

of New North before be-
a proce*
Mather re.

North then el
deacons, Lyman and Barrett.

dure sufficiently
fused to grant the
ected its first

74

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by
the City Clerk, Boston.

CR I - "Records of the New-North-Church, in North-Street,
Boston. Gathered Oct. 20, 1714." (Flyleaf: "The Rec-
ords of the New-North-Church in North-street, Boston.
Gathered, Octt 20&. 1714.") 1714-1805; vital statistics
uneven. Extremely detailed coverage of church disciplin-
ary cases and ecclesiastical councils to which Fifth
Church sent delegates.

CR I ABSTRACT - "Record The New North Church Boston
1714." (Flyleaf: "Handbook. Records of New North Church
171V1799.0 An abstract of CR I's running records,
followed by an alphabetical list of names figuring in the
vital statistics of CR I. City Registrar.

VS I - "Records of the New North Church, Births, Deaths
and Marriages 1714 to 1797." Vital statistics copied
from CR I: baptisms, 1714-1797; marriages, 1742-1797;
owners of covenant, 1714-1813; admissions to full member-
ship, 1714-1820; deaths, 1792-1797. City Registrar.

VS IA - "Record New No. Church Boston 1800 to 1820."
(Flyleaf: "Admissions and Covenant in the New North
Church Boston. 1800 to 1820.") Vital statistics:
owners of covenant, 1800-1813; admissions to full mem-
bership, 1800-1820. City Registrar.

CR II - "New North Church Records." (Flyleaf: "The New
North Church Records Volume the Third Commencing with
the Ministry of the Revd Francis Parkman who was Ordained
December the 5& 1813.") Church records, 1821-1859/1870;
running records 1813-1821 lost because pp. 1-22 of this
book have been removed. Vital statistics from 1813.

VS II - "Records & Index

1863 Bapt., Marr. Deaths." (Flyleaf:

New North Church Boston 1813-

"Records of Bap-
tisms, Marriages and Deaths of the New North Church,
Boston. 1813 to 1863.") Vital statistics copied from
CR II: baptisms, 1815-1862; marriages, 1813-1862; deaths,
1814-1863. City Registrar.

1, The phrase "Volume the Third" suggests that a now-lost
volume was begun in 1805 » when CR I's pages were filled,
and discontinued when Rev. Parkman opened his pastorate in
1815.

75

BOSTON, Sixth (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on April 15 . 1719 as the Sixth or

New South Church, The Proprietors (frequently referred

to in the records as "the Society") were incorporated in

1803.

The years 1866-1868 saw the Sixth Church merging with the

Suffolk-Street Chapel and the Concord-Street Chapel, but

the body thus formed did not long survive the merger.

Ministers :

Samuel Checkley ford. 1719; d. 1769)
Penuel Bowen (ord. 1766; dism. 1772;

d. 1788)

Cord. 1773; d. 1775)
Cord. 1782; dism. 1792;
d. 1802)
John T. Kirkland (ord. 1794; dism. to presi

dency of Harvard College
1810; d. 1840)

Joseph Howe
Oliver Everett

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Henry Hill o

Deacon Daniel Powning
Daniel Loring
Samuel Adams
Samuel Bridgham

Richard Checkley
Thomas Hill
Samuel Hewes
Richard Boynton
John Preston
Samuel Dyer
Daniel Bates
Joseph Field

(m. 1719; d. 1726)

(m. 1728: d. 1735)
(e. 1726)

fe. 1726; d. 1748)
(e. 1730/31; eta. 1750;
d. 1759)

(e. 1736; eta. 1739)

(e. 1742; d. 1778)

e. 1748; eta. 1764)

e. 1764; m. 1788)

e. 1776; m. 1793)

e. 1778; dism. 1782)

e. 1782; d. 1812)

(e. 1796; m. 1835)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by
the City Clerk, City Hall, Boston.

1. Samuel Checkley notes in CR I, p. 1: "N.B. Mr. Henry
Hill was chosen by the Church unto y Deacon's office be-
fore m£ Call and Ordination . "

2. Powning transferred his membership from Boston's
Third Church to the Sixth in 1720, and probably served
as a deacon here from the time of his admission.

76

Not mentioned below, but useful is "Diary of the Rev,
Samuel Checkley, 1735," CSMP . XII (1908-1909), 270-306*

CR I - "New South Church."
Church began 1719.")

(Flyleaf: "The New South

CR I COPY - "Boston New South Church Records."
MS copy of church running records, 1719-1826.

Undated

VS COPY REG - "Records & Index New South Church Boston
1719-1811 Marriages." (Flyleaf: "Records of Marriages,
Full Communions, Baptismal Covenants and not to Full Com-
munions, of the New South Church, Boston, 1719-1811.")
City Registrar, City Hall, Boston.

VS BAP COPY REG - "Records & Index New South Church
Boston 1719-1812." (Flyleaf: "Records of Baptisms of
New South Church, Boston. 1719 to 1812.") City Registrar.

CR II - "New South Church Records." Church records and
admissions , 1811-1866.

VS II - "New South Church and Society Records." Baptisms,
1811-1866; marriages, 1811-1866; deaths, 1825-1866.

SR I - Society Records, 1715-1767.

SR II - "New South Society [Records] from December 1767
to February 1781."

SR III - "Records belonging to the New South Society
1781 to 1803."

SR IV - "Proprietors." Society records, 1803-1850.

SR V - "Records. New South Society."

Miscellaneous church and society records: accounts of
Church's charitable income and disbursements, 1812-1824;
Society Committee Records, 1781-1803 (in SR III), 1803-
1824; Society Assessors 1 Accounts, 1803-1816, 1808-1812,
1812-1820; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1808-1812, 1815-
1821, 1821-1833, 1835-1857, 1837-1841, 1846-1866; Pew
Deeds, 1794-1815, 1844-1868.

77

BOSTON, Seventh (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on May 23, 1722 as the Seventh
or New Brick Church, its Society having been organized in
1719 by persons seceding from Boston's Fifth Church. In
1779, following the destruction of the meetinghouse of
Boston's Second Church by British troops, the Seventh and
Second Churches merged into one, retaining the title of
the older body.

Ministers ;

William Waldron
William Welsted
Ellis Gray
Ebenezer Pemberton,

D.D

ord. 1722; d. 1727)

ord. 1728; d. 1753)

ord. 1738; d. 1753)

(inst. 1754; d. 1777)

Ruling elders: Deacon James Halsey (e. 1735; m. 1763)

Deacons : Solomon Townsend
William Lee
James Halsey

Ebenezer Bridge

George Holmes
John Tudor
Thomas Greenough
Jonathan Brown*

(e. 1723; m. 172?)

Ce. 1723; d. 1769)

(e. 1733; elev. to ruling

elder 1735; m. 1763)

(e. 1738; accepted 174-2;

d. 1746)

(e. 1747)

(e. 17^7; m. 1786)

(m. 1757; d. 1785)

(m. 1769; d. 1785)

Because the records are scattered, it is necessary to include
minor as well as major items in the inventory. Not listed
below, but of considerable interest is William Tudor (ed.),
Deacon Tudor's Diary (Boston, 1896), covering the years 1732-

17"

CR I - "The New Brick Church Book 1722. Records of those
who own'd the Covenant The Names of those Baptised, &c."
(Flyleaf: "This book belongs to that Church of God wCh
Worship In the North Brick Meeting House, Boston 1722.")
Church records, 1722-175^; vital statistics uneven: bap-
tisms, 1722-1775; owners of covenant, x728-1757; admissions
to full membership, 1722-1773. Owned and held by the City
Clerk, City Hall, Boston.

VS I COPY REG - "Records & Index New Brick Church Boston
1722-1776." (Flyleaf: "Records and Index of Baptisms,

1. Deacons Tudor, Greenough, and Brown continued in that
office following the merger in 1779-

78

Admissions, Owned Covenants, of New Brick Church, Boston.
1722 to 1776.") Vital statistics alphabetically arranged,
Owned and held by the City Registrar.

VS I COPY PUB - Thomas B. Wyman, "New Brick Church,
Boston List of Persons connected therewith from 1722 to
1775. Compiled from the Records," NEHGR, XVIII (1864),
237-240, 337-544, XIX (1865), 230-2557320-324.

CT I - "The Church's Book — Wherein the Communion Stock
Dr. and Cr. is Enter' d — From 1722 — to 1744 when
[illegible] to Cambridge," Church treasurer's accounts,
1722-1776; scattered church votes. This is item No. 5A,
Boston Second Church Records, Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston.

SR I - "1719 1805 . 1719 Proprietors The New Brick
Church Book of Records." Proprietors' (frequently called
"Society") records, 1719 through the merger to 1803.
Item No. 12, Boston Second Church Records, Massachusetts
Historical Society.

ST I -'1747 1752, Church Book 1747. of Accounts."
Two sets of accounts, 1747-1754. Item No. 12A, Boston
Second Church Records, Massachusetts Historical Society.

ST II - "1755 1774 Book No 2 Pew Acc s from July 15,
1755 to July 1774 Account with the Treasurer from
July 14 1755 to August 1774 Lecture Money 1755 to 1774."
Item No. 23, Boston Second Church Records, Massachusetts
Historical Society.

ST III - "1774-1788 The 2d Churches Book of Accounts
1774." Item No. 25, Boston Second Church Records,
Massachusetts Historical Society.

S COM - "The New Bricks Committe Book July 14Ui. 1761."
Records of the society's "prudentials committee," 1761-
1800. Owned and held by the City Clerk.

79

BOSTON, Arlington Street Church (U).

The church was gathered in 1729 by Irish immigrants whose
background prompted them to employ the presbyterian form
of church government. The church was then popularly
known as "the church of the Presbyterian Strangers ," and
(because of its location) "the Presbyterian Church in
Long Lane . "

In August of 1786, the church voted to adopt congrega-
tional polity, and in the following year settled the
Arminian Jeremy Belknap as its minister, foreshadowing
the gradual shift to a Unitarian theology.
The Proprietors of the Meeting House in Federal Street
(as Long Lane was now named) were incorporated in 1805*
In 1862, this body was reincorporated as the Proprietors
of the Arlington Street Church (the present location).

Ministers: John Moorhead

Robert Annan

Jeremy Belknap, D.D.
John S. Pop kin

William Ellery Channing, S.T.D

(sett. 1729;
inst. 17 50;

d. 1773)
(inst. 1783;
dism. 1786;

rem. to Pa. )
(inst. 1787;
d. 1798)
(ord. 1799;
dism. 1802;
d. 1852)
(ord. 1803;
d. 1842)

Ruling elders: the church employed such officers during
its presbyterian phase, but due to the scarcity of early
records, their names are unknown.

Deacons: again, the records for the presbyterian period
are of no help. The names of three deacons for the con-
gregational period are known:

William McNeil (m. 1786)
Francis Wright (m. 1786-1808)
Henry Hunter (e. 1794; d. 1808)

When the Rev. John Moorhead died in 1773, three members
of the congregation took over the management of the church
and society affairs. Because they proceeded in a somewhat
high-handed manner, on April 5, 1774, they were impeached
by the Proprietors, and dismissed from their trust. One

80

of the three, William Mc Alpine, refused to relinquish the
records, taking them with him to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and
thence to Glasgow, Scotland where he died in 1788. These
records are presumed lost.

The extant records, unless otherwise noted, are owned by
the church and deposited with the Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston.

VS I & II - "A List of all y e Children & Adult persons to
whom I have administer 1 d Baptism Since my Settlement in
3oston in y e year 1730 March 31st. Both in Town & Country."
1750-1865. The reverse is titled "A List of Marriages
from my Settlement March y 30a [sic] 1730. John Moor-
head." 1730-1865. Owned by Boston's Second Church, and
held by the Massachusetts Historical Society as Item No.
85 of the Second Church Record Collection.

VS I & II COPY - "A List of all the Adult persons, and
infants, to whom Baptism has been administred by the Revd
Mr. John Moorhead, as taken from his own Manuscripts, and
faithfully Transcribed by Hector McNeill, for the benifit
of the Presbyterian Society in Boston." 1730-1741. The
reverse is titled "A Rigester of Marriages in the Presby-
terian form keept by the Revd. Mr. John Moorhead, and
faithfully Transcribed from his Original Manuscripts, for
the benefit of the Society, by Hector McNeill." 1730-
1773, with additions to 1784.

VS I & II COPY A REG - "Records & Index First Presbyterian
Church Boston 1754-1784. Bapt. & Marr. " (Flyleaf:
"Records of Baptisms and Marriages in The First Presby-
terian Church, Boston. 1730-1784.") Owned and held by
the City Registrar, City Hall, Boston.

VS I COPY B REG - "Records & Index
Church Boston 1730-1865 Baptisms."
of Baptisms with Index in the First
Boston. 1730 to 1865.") Owned and
Registrar.

First Presbyterian

(Flyleaf : "Records
Presbyterian Church.
held by the City

VS in COPY B REG - "Records & Index First Presbyterian
Church Boston 1730-1865 Marriages." (Flyleaf: "Records
Marriages and Index in the First Presbyterian Church.
Boston. 1730 to 1865.") Owned and held by the City
Registrar.

1, See Harriet B. Johnson,
ton Street Church," UHSP, V

"The Early History of Arling-
(1937), ii, 15-36.

81

CR I - Church Records, 1786-1794.

CR II - "Church Matters." Church records, 1786, 1799-
1813; membership and admissions, 1787-1814; owners of the
covenant, 1805-1811; deaths, 1787-1813.

PROP I - "Records." Records of the Proprietors of the
Meeting House, 1803-1861.

Miscellaneous records: ten boxes of calendared papers
relating to church and proprietors (frequently called
"Society"), 1786-1842; five volumes of Proprietors Com-
mittee Records, 1805-1862; Proprietors Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1814-1861, 1860-1875; Pew Assessments, 1809-1811,
1815-1816, 1822-1829; Pew Accounts, 1804-1809, 1810-1813,
1814-1822, 1822-1825; Pew Deeds, 1803-1809, 1810-1856,
1854-1859-

BOSTON, Eighth (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Nov* 14, 1732, and soon became
known as the Hollis Street Church. The Proprietors of the
Meeting House were incorporated in 1809- The church it-
self was incorporated on Feb, 14, 1884. In October of
1887, the church merged with Boston's South Congregational
Church and Society, which in 1925 sold its property and
merged with Boston's First Church.

Ministers: Mather Byles, D.D. (ord. 1732; dism. 1776;

d. 1788)
Ebenezer Wight (ord. 1778; dism. 1788;

d. 1821)
Samuel West (inst. 1789; d„ 1808)

Ruling elders : none

Deacons

John Clough
Joseph Payson

John Eliot

(e. 1732;
Ce. 1732;
(e. 1742;

d. 1746-1753)

d. 1746)

eta. 1769-1773)

82

Benjamin Church
Caleb Davis
Thomas Bayley
William Brown
Elisha Ticlmor

(e. 174-7; d. 1781 ) 1

(e. 1769; d. 1797)

(m. 1808; eta. 1808-1811)

(e. 1783; d. 1816)

(e. 1798; res. and disra. to Old

South Church, Boston 1808)

The records are owned and held by several organizations,
as noted below.

OR I - "The Records of the New Church at the South End
of Boston. Under the Pastoral Care of M. Byles. 1732."
Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.

CR II - "Records of the Church in Hollis Street, Boston.
Volume II, from March 4ft 1753, to March 1st, 1789. Byles
and Wight. These have been copied into the large book.
& properly clasped." 1753-1789. Massachusetts Historical
Society.

CR III - "Records of the Church in Hollis Street Boston."
1788-1809. Andover-Harvard Theological Library, Cambridge

CR I-II-III-IV COPY REG - "Records Hollis St. Church
Boston 1733-1847." Copy of church records, 1732-1847,
with vital statistics: baptisms, 1735-1846; owners of
covenant, 1733-1810; admissions, 1732-1846; marriages,
1789-1846; deaths, 1809-1846. City Registrar, City Hall,
Boston.

VS I-II-III-IV COPY REG - "Records [of the Baptisms, _
Marriages and Deaths, also Admissions] & Index Hollis
Street Church Boston 1732-1847." Copy of vital statis-
tics, 1732-1847. City Registrar.

VS I-II-III-IV COPY RSG INDEX - "Records & Index Hollis
St Jhurch Boston 1732-1849.'* Alphabetical Index to
above item. City Registrar.

1. See George 23. Bowman, "The Settlement of the Estate of
Deacon Benjamin Church of Boston," MD, VIII (1906), 54-58,
X (1908), 119-122.

2. A Deacon Cheever removed from Charlestown to the
Hollis Street Church about 1803, but evidently was not
considered a deacon of the Hollis Street Church.

83

CR V COPY REG - "Records Mollis St Church Boston 1862-
1887." Copy of Church records, 1862-1885, and vital
statistics to 1887. City Registrar.

SR I - MISSING, Society Records to 1782.

SR II - "Hollis Street Society Records, Vol. II."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Church [sic] in Hollis Street
1782.") 1782-1809. First Church, Boston.

SR III - "Records of Hollis Street Society.
City Clerk.

1809-1845.

SR IV - "Records
City Clerk.

Hollis Street Society." 1846-1884.

SR V - "Hollis Street Church, Proprietors' Records
1884-1887. City Clerk.

1884."

Miscellaneous church and society records are owned and
held by the following: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1806-1807, 1810-1811, 1809-1862 (First Church); Society
Committee Records, 1862-1879 (Historical Library, Unitar-
ian Universalist Association, Boston); Society Committee
Accounts, 1852-1867 (First Church); Pew Deeds, 1788-1808,
1808-1810, 1811-1824, 1847-1835 (First Church); Pew
Assessments, 1771-1781, 1782-1805, 1807-1814, 1827-1848,
1851-1865, 1861-1881, 1884-1886 (First Church); Sexton's
Records (Pew Rents), 1835-1852 (First Church).

BOSTON, Ninth (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Jan. 3, 1737 as The West
Church, popularly known as the Lynde Street Church, of
Boston. The West Boston Society was incorporated in 1806.
The church disbanded in 1889, due to a sharp decline in
its membership.

Ministers: William Hooper

Jonathan Mayhew, D.D.
Simeon Howard, D.D.

(ord. 1737;
d. 1767)
(ord. 1747;
(ord. 1767;

dism. 1746;

d.
d.

1766)

1804)

84

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Capt. James Gooch

John Dorrall
Col. Henry Berry

Thomas Foster
Daniel Jones
Capt. Martin Gay

Charles Cushing, Esq.
Joseph Nye, Esq Q

John Avery, Esq.

(e c 1737-; rem. 1739;

d. 1786)- L

(e. 1739; eta. 174-7)

(e. 1739; eta. 1758;

d. 1760)

(e. 1757; d. 1789)

(e. 1757; d. 1800)

(e. 1773; rem. 1776;

d. 1809)

(e„ 1793; d. 1810)

(e. 1793; res. and rem.

to Boston's Third Church

1801; d. 1816)

(e. 1801; d. 1806)

The records are owned and held by several organizations,
as noted below.

CR I - "Records of the West Church Boston." Church
records, 1737-1741, 1758, 1770-1854; records of church
and proprietors in joint meeting, 1746-1747, 1767, 1805-
1806, 1837. Vital statistics: baptisms, 1757-1860;
marriages, 1747-1856; owners of the covenant, 1747-1819;
admission to full membership, 1737-1858. Also list of
pew aroprietors, 1737, 1806-1831; 1806 memoranda concern-
ing new meetinghouse; 1809-1814 thanksgiving collection
totals. City Clerk, City Hall, Boston.

CR I PUB - Set of (incomplete) page proofs; plates origi-
nally made by The Colonial Society of Massachusetts but
publication project abandoned and plates for pp. 1-15,
19, 32, 36, 78, 89, 94, 97-101, 106-109, 116-119, 122,
125, 153-135 lost before proofs were struck. One copy of
the proofs is owned and held oy Boston Athenaeum, Boston,
with letter indicating the extant plates were destroyed
in 1935 after the imperfect proofs were struck.

VS I - "West Church Records." Vital statistics: bap-
tisms, 1837-1866; marriages, 1857-1366; 1837 church mem-
bership and additions, 1838-1857; invitations to

1. Deacon Gooch was among those who followed the Rev.
Mr. Hooper into Episcopalianism in 1747, when the latter
(recently reordained) returned to Boston to organize
Trinity Church and become its first rector*

85

ecclesiastical councils, 1858-1860; one diaconal election
memorandum, 1846. City Clerk.

VS II - "Records Vol. 2. West Church." Vital statistics
baptisms, 1837-1889; marriages, 1837-1895; one diaconal
election memorandum, 1884. City Clerk.

VS COPY REG - "Records of West Church Boston." Vital
statistics: marriages, 1747-1880; owners of the covenant,
1747-1819; admission to full membership, 1737-1858;
proprietors, 1737-1837 • City Registrar.

VS BAP COPY REG - "Records & Index West Church Boston
I737-I88O Baptisms." (Flyleaf: "Records of Baptisms in
the West Church, Boston 1737 to 1880.") City Registrar.

VS PUB - "Records of the West Church, Boston, Mass. Bap-
tisms, 1737-1854," NgHGR , XCI (1937), 340-354, XCII
(1938), 10-28, 116-134^242-260, 342-358, XCIII (1939),
58-66, 114-124, 250-263, 314-326, XCIV (1940), 38-47, 155-
163, 290-297, 373-580. Vital statistics: baptisms, 1737-
1854; admissions, 1737-1854; owners of covenant, 1747-1819

SR I - "Records of the West Boston Society Corporation."
1806-1884. The Society is also referred to as the Pro-
prietors of the Heeting House, and the Proprietors of
Pews. City Clerk*

Miscellaneous records are owned and held as follows: By
the City Clerk: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1737-1754;
Society Standing Committee Records, 1806-1864; Society
Treasurer's Accounts and Assessors' Records, 1807-1851;
Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1847-1895; Pew Deeds, 1806-
1894, 1838-1894, By the Society for the Preservation of
New England Antiquities, Boston: Society Treasurer's
Accounts (copy), 1737-1754; file of calendared 19th
century papers. 3y the American Antiquarian Society,
Worcester: Pew Deeds, 1777-1781. By the Historical
Library, Unitarian Universalist Association, Boston:
file of loose papers. By the Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston: papers relating to termination of the
church's affairs, 1893-

86

BOSTON, Tenth (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on May 9 t 17^2 oy Old Lights who
separated from Boston's Second Church. It was generally
known as "Samuel Mather's Church," Mather being its first
and only minister. On his death in 1785, in accordance
with his dying wish, the surviving members of the Tenth
Church reunited with the Second Church.

Minister: Samuel Mather, D.D. (inst. 1742; d. 1785)

Ruling elders and deacons: there being virtually no
extant records, very little is known of the Tenth
Church's lay officers. The records of Boston's Second
Church report that one Benjamin Henderson served as a
deacon in the Tenth Church, that in 1786 he transferred
his membership to the Second Church, and served as a
deacon there until 1799. The Diary of William Bentley .
D.D., Pastor of the 5ast Church , Salem , Massachusetts
Trep. Gloucester, Mass., 196H), III, p. 7 mentions a
Deacon Joseph Roby of the Tenth Church. See also Justin
Winsor (ed.;, The Memorial History of Boston , including
Suffolk CountyTTiassachusetts , lg30^l880 (Boston, 1880-1),

ii , 227 fr: —

LOSTON, Eleventh (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 17, 1748 by New Lights
separating from the several Boston congregations, and was
popularly known as "The School Street Church," and "The
Rev. Andrew Croswell's Church." It disbanded soon after
Croswell's death in 1785.

1. Some miscellaneous marriage records were published by
Jeremiah Colburn, "Marriages in Boston, Mass, from the
Original Certificates of the Clergymen Officiating,"
NSHGR . XXXIV (1880), 94-96 (covers 174-3).

2. The building v/as sold to the Roman Catholic community
in Boston, and so became the first church building to be
used by members of that faith in New England.

87

Minister: Andrew Croswell (inst. 17^8; d. 1785)

Ruling elders and deacons: there being no extant records,
virtually nothing is known of the Eleventh Church's lay-
officers. Croswell himself published A Narrative of the
Founding and Settling The New-gathered Congregational
Church in~5oston (.Boston, 174-9-), which indicates that the
church employed deacons, but not ruling elders. See also
Justin Winsor (ed.), The Memorial History of Boston , in -
cluding Suffolk County , Massachusetts , Ib50 - 1350 (Boston,
1S80-1), II, pp. 236ff.; and G. C. Goen, Revivalism and
Separa tism in New 3np;land , 174-0 - 1800 (New Haven and
London, 196?T,*Tp. 11, 57, 97^~3l2T~

BOSTON, Brighton, First (U), inactive.

The church was gathered on Feb. 23, 1783 1 as the Church
in the Third (South) Precinct in Cambridge. The precinct
had been incorporated in 1779, and eventually became
known as the Third Parish. Whgn the area became recog-
nized as the town of Brighton,^ the cnurch and parish
were renamed the First Church (1807) and Parish (March
1839) of Brighton.

Minister: John Foster (ord. 1784- ; res. 1827; d. 1829)

1. 6ome authorities date the church's existence from
1734.-1757 (see iftnil Oberholser, Delinquent Saints [New
York, 1956], p. 355; Frederick L. Weis, The Colo"nial
Clergy and The Colonial Cnurches of New Borland [Lancas-
ter, Mass. ,T936j , p. 24-377" But this is to confuse the
inauguration of occasional "winter-preaching" at Brighton
in 1754-1735, the building of a meetinghouse, and the
beginning of year-round preaching in 1744- , with the formal
gathering of the church in 1783. See Lucius R. Paige,
History of Cambri dge , Massachusetts . 1650 - 1877 (Boston,

15777; P~ 2W-

2. 3righton was made a town in 1807 and annexed to Boston
in 1874- .

88

Ruling elders and deacons: the earliest records make no
mention of the church's lay officers.

There are no extant records antedating 1828. The later
records are owned by the church, and held by the Historical
Library, Unitarian Universalist Association, Boston.

OR I - Ministerial Record, 1828-1338.

3R I - "Records of the Society of the First Parish in
Brighton. " 1817-1856.

SR II - Society Records, 1856-1835.

Miscellaneous records include: Church Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1859-1889; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1818-
1860; an unsigned MS history of the church, composed in
1889, which refers to the early church records as lost.

BOSTON, Charlestovm, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov, 2, 1652, the First Parish
beinn; incorporated in 1803. Charlestown itself was an-
nexed to Boston in 1874.

Ministers: Thomas James (ord. pastor 1632; rem.

1636; d. 1682/83)
Zechariah Symmes (ord. teacher 1634;

John Harvard

d. 1670/71)

(ord. 1637; d. 1638)

1. Richard Frothingham, Jr., The History of Charlestown ,
Massachusetts (Boston, 1845), p. 74, reports that Harvard
was admitted to church membership on Nov. 6, 1637, but
that there is no record of his ordination. See also
Justin Winsor (ed.J, The Memorial History of Boston , in -
cluding Suffolk County , Massachusetts , 165Q - 1S8Q (Boston,
1580-1), I, p. 333T: Frederick L. Weis,~The Colonial
Clergy and The Colonial Churcnes of New ^In^land (Lancaster,
Mass., 1936), p. 102, ;_:ives the date
sion to church membership as that of
on what authority is not known.

of Harvard's admis-
his ordination, but

89

Thomas Allen

Thomas Shepard, Jr.

Thomas Shepard III

Charles Morton
Simon Bradstreet
Joseph Stevens

Hull Abbot
Thomas Prentice
Joshua Paine
Jedidiah Morse, D.D

(ord. teacher
rem. 1651; d.
(ord. teacher

a. 1677)

(inst. pastor
d. 1685)
(inst. 1686;
(ord. 1698; d
(ord. 1713; d
(ord. 1724; d
(inst. 1739;
(ord. 1787; d
(inst. 1789;
d. 1826)

1639A0;

1673)

1659;

1680;

d. 1698)

17^1)

1721)

1774)
d. 1782)
. 1788)
rem. 1819;

Ruling elder: John Greene (adm. 1633; date of e. unknown;

d. 1658)

Deacons: Ralph Mousall
Robert Hale
Thomas Lynde

William Stittson

Robert Cutler

John Cutler, Sr.

Aaron Ludkin

John Call

Joseph Kettle

Sdmund Wilson

Jonathan Cary

Capt. Samuel Frothingham

Jonathan Kettle

Michael Brigden

Thomas Symmes

William Kettle

e. 1632 ?; d. 1657)
e. 1632 ?; d. 1659)
e. 1636-1651;

d. 1671)

(e, and ord. 1659;

d. 1691)

(e. and ord. 1659;

d. 1665)

(ord. 1671/72;

d. 1694)

(ord. 1671/72;

d. 1694)

(e. 1694; ord. 1695)

(e. 1694; ord. 1695)

(e. post-1695; d. 1706)

(e. 1710)

fe. 1723; m. 1731)
(e. 1723; m. 1724)
(e. 1752)
(e. 1752)

1. Sometimes given as "Stillson."

2. Wilson was admitted to church membership in 1660. He
could not have been elected prior to 1695? since the deaths
of Deacons Cutler and Ludkin left the church without
deacons, according to the records.

90

John Frothingham
David Cheever
Timothy Austin
John Larkin
Thomas Miller
James Frothingham
Amos Tufts

1763)
1768)
1763)
1787;
1787)

1793;

1804)

m. 1795)
nu 1795)

The records are owned by the church, and unless otherwise
noted, are held by The Congregational Library, Boston.

CR I - "Church Records of the 1?* Church Charlestown
1631 to 1730." (Flyleaf: "The Book that belongs unto
the Church in Charltowne: which Church was gathered, and
did enter into church Covenant the 2 day of the 9 month
1632.") Church records, 1632, 1658-1763; vital statistics
baptisms, 1632-1768; renewers of the covenant, 1665-1768;
owners of the covenant, 1677-1697; admissions, 1632-1678;
marriages, 1687-1697-

CR I PUB NEHGR - James F. Hunnewell (ed.), "The First
Record-Book of the First Church in Charlestown, Massachu-
setts." NEHGR, XXIII (1869), 187-191, 279-284, 435-444,
XXIV (IST^TT"?-^, 131-136, 273-285, XXV (1871), 62-67,
147-150, 339-344, XXVI (1872), 49-54, 153-158, 249-253,
XXVII (1873), 140-143, 275-280, XXVIII (1874), 120-124,
448-450, XXIX (1875), 67-70, 291-294, XXX (1876), 178-
185, XXXI (1877), 78-82, 214-217, 325-328, XXXII (1878),
61-66, 169-174, 288-291, XXXIII (1879), 205-208. Con-
tains all of CR I except baptisms, 1753-1768; renewers of
the covenant, 1665-1768; admissions, 1723-1724.

CR I PUB HUNNEWELL - James F. Hunnewell (ed.), Records of
the First Church in Charlestown , Massachusetts , 163 2 - 1 753
(Boston, 1880). Complete copy of CR I, with notes based
on other primary sources extant in 1880.

CR I PUB HUNNEWELL INDEX - "Index to Records First Church
Charlestown 1632-1789." (Flyleaf: "Index to the Records
of the First Church, Charlestown, Massachusetts- 1632-
1789. As printed for James Frothingham Hunnewell. 1880.")
Owned and held by the City Registrar, City Hall, Boston.

1. See also "Charlestown Church Affairs," MHSC, 3rd Ser. ,
I (1825, rep. 1846), 248-264, for further primary source
materials concerning the years 1677-1678-

91

CR II - MIoSING, Church Records, 1789-1833-
CR I PUB HUHNEWELL, pp. 165, 168.1

Described in

Also MISSING from the collection of church records are the
following books of records described by CR I PUB HUOTEWELL,
pp. 167-168: "The Deacon's Book, 1671," containing diaconal
accounts and other records, 1671-1806; two "Day Books, 1693
and 1767," containing miscellaneous prudential records. It
is thought that these items may still be extant, although
their present location is unknown.

PR I - "I," "Chariest own Parish Records Begun May 1784."
1784-1803.

PR II - "I " "Parish Records. Book First." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Parish in the Town of Charlestown:
Began March 24tt>. 1803.") 1803-1823.

PR III - "Records of the First Parish in Charlestown, May,
1823. Book Second." 1823-1854- .

PR IV - "Records Book Third" (binding), "Records of the
First Parish in Charlestown. Book Third" (cover). 1854—
1880.

Miscellaneous parish records: Parish assessors 1 Rate Books,
1803, 1804- , 1805, 1807; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1808-
1811, 1856-1370/78; Pew Deeds, 1834-1927; and minor financial
records of the early 19th century.

BOSTON, Dorchester, First (U).

The church was gathered at Dorchester on or soon after July
30, 1630.2 During the winter of 1635-36, an undetermined

1. CR I FU3 HTJ1INEWELL , p. 160, noted (as of 1880) a lacuna
in the records of church meetings, 1768-1789-

2. Before emigrating to Massachusetts, the perso:inel of what
became the Dorchester church met at the New Hospital, Ply-
mouth, England, and sufficiently organized themselves to
permit their designating Maverick and V.'arham as the church's
eventual ministers. See "Captain Rofrer Clap's Memoirs," in
Alexander Younr: (ed.), Chronicles of the First Plant e rs of
the Colony of Massachusetts "iv, from 1623 to 1636 (Boston,

TS4-677Tpt y^^wr.

92

number of the church's members accompanied the junior min-
ister, John Warham, to Windsor, Ct. , but it is uncertain
whether they removed as a church organization or simply as
a company of persons heretofore members of the Dorchester
church. Those who remained at Dorchester, together with
persons newly arrived from England, deemed it necessary or
fitting to reorganize themselves. On Aug. 23, 1636, a
written covenant (the church's first ?) was subscribed,
and the, church reconstituted under the ministry of Richard
Mather.

The First Parish in Dorchester was organized in 1807, and
the Trustees of the Parish received incorporation in 1831-

Ministers:

John Maverick
John Warham

Richard Mather
Jonathan Burr
John Wilson, Jr.

Josiah Flynt
John Danforth
Jonathan Bowman

Moses Sverett

Thaddeus Mason Harris,
D.D.

(ord. 1630;
(ord. 1630;
d. 1670) 2
(inst. 1636;
(ord. 1640;
(ord. 164-9;
d. 1691)
(ord. 1671;
(ord. 1682;
(ord. 1729;
d. 1775)
(ord. 177^;
d. 1813)

d. 1635/36)
1635;

rem

d. 1669)
d. 1641)

1651;

rem

d. 1680)
d. 1730)
res. 1773;

res. 1793;

(ord. 1793; dism. 1836;
d. 1842)

Ruling elders:^ Henry Withington (e. ca. 1636; d. 1666/67)

I. Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on the Custody
tion of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns, and
Public Documents of Massachusetts . . . for the

II, 28, notes an early memorandum which designates
church thus reconstituted as "The Second Church of
ter." Also see BOSTON, Dorchester, First, CR PUB,

and Condi -
Counties,
Year 1897 ,
the

Dorches-
9-

2. Some authorities have read into Roger Clap's "Memoirs"
the notion that Maverick and Warham received congregational
ordination at Plymouth, Sn^land, for service in Massachu-
setts. See Williston Walker, The Creeds and Platforms of
Congregationalism (New York, 1393), pp. l z i^ :: 150; Frederick L
Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New
England (Lancaster, Mass., 1936), pp. 137,

3» Was Israel Stoughton, 3sq
We think not, even though

- »

he is

the
the

sentence
1630' s.

a Dorchester ruling elder?

reported to have pronounced
of excommunication on a Dorchester offender in
See Thomas Lechford, Plain Dealing or News

93

George Minot

Deacon James Humphry

Deacon James Blake

Capt. Samuel Clap

Deacon Samuel Topliff

Deacon Hopestill Clap

Deacon Daniel Preston

(m. 1660 ?; d. 1671)
(e. 1668; ord.
1668/69; d. 1686)
(e. 1685/86; ord.
1686; d. 1700)
(e. 1701; ord.
1701/02; d. 1708)
(e. 1701; ord.
1701/02; d. 1722)
(e. and ord.
1708/09; d. 1719)
(e. ca. 1720-1721;
d. 1726/27) 1

Deacons: Edward Clap
John Wiswall

John Cap en
James Humphry

Richard Withington
James Blake

Daniel Preston
Samuel Topliff

Hopestill Clap

Daniel Preston, Jr

Sgt. James Blake
John Blake

re. ca. 1636; d. 1664/65)
(m. T554; res. and dism. to
Boston First 1670; d. 1687)
(ord. 1653/59; d. 1692)
(e. and ord. 1666; elev. to
ruling elder 1668; d. 1686)

re. 1668/69)

(e. and ord. 1672; elev. to

ruling elder 1685/86;

d. 1700)

(e. 1686; d. 1707)

(e. and ord. 1692; elev. to

ruling elder 1?01; d. 1722)

(e. and ord. 1692; elev. to

ruling elder 1703/09;

d. 1719)

(e. 1701; ord. 1701/02;
elev. to ruling elder ca .
1720/21; d. 1726/27)
(e. and ord. 1708/09;

m. 1725)

(e. and ord. 1717/18;

d. 1717/13)

from New ;Sngland (ed. by J. Hammond Trumbull) (Boston,
1557), P.TE

1. The records are ambiguous concerning which "Deacon
Daniel Preston" was actually the one elevated to the ruling
eldership. We believe that it was Deacon Daniel Preston,

Jr.

The records list an "i^lder John Wiswall" among the
signers of the 1636 covenant. wiswall served as a deacon
at Dorchester, but his eldership was served at Boston
First.

94

Jonathan Clap

Hopestill Clap

Nathaniel Topliff

Richard Hall
Abijah White
Samuel Topliff
Edward Pierce
James Humphries

(e. and ord. 1718/19;
d. ca. 1724-1725) 1
(e.~T723/24; ord. 1724;
d. 1759)
(e. 1723/24; ord. 1724;

d. 175D
e. 1762; d. 1777)
e. 1762; res. 1799; d. 1804)
e. 1762; m. 1803
e. 1777; m. 1805
e. 1799; m. 1805

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned by the
church and deposited in the vault of a Boston bank.

CR I - "Records of the 2d Church in Dorchester Which was
Gathered after the First Church Removed, & Settled them-
selves at Windsor. Beginning August y e 23d Anno Domini
1636. In the Colony of Massachusetts, & Province of the
Massachusetts=Bay in New England." 1636/1653-1734.

CR I COPY HARRIS - "Records of the Church in Dorchester,
carefully transcribed from the Original Book (which was
much mutilated, and nearly illegible) By Thaddeus Mason
Harris." Copy made ca. 1800.

CR PUB - Records of the First Church at Dorchester in New
Bnpland 1636 - 17 34~ CBost on, 189X7:

CR II - "First Parish Church in Dorchester Baptisms,
Admissions, Deaths Stc. 1729-1778." Church records,
1744-1773; vital statistics (baptisms, owners of covenant,
admissions, summary of disciplinary actions, deaths),
1729-1778.

CR III - Church Records, 1773-1814. Includes baptisms
and owners of covenant, 1774-1835; admissions, 1774-1843;
disciplinary cases, 1775-1799-

VS BAP - "Record of Baptisms from 1748 to 1792."

V3 BAP PUB - Sdgar Yates (ed.), "Baptisms in the First
Church at Dorchester, Mass., 1748-1792," NEHGR, LXVTII
(1914), 215-238, 309-321.

1. f I?he records also mention a Deacon Capen, "Aged & Pious,"
who died on May 11, 1729.

95

VS MAR - "This book contains a RECORD of those who have
been lawfully joined together in Marriage by me Thaddeus
Mason Harris Minister of the Church of Christ in Dor-
chester. " 1793-1836.

VS ADM - "Members of the First Church in Dorchester."
Membership and admissions, 1799-1836.

VS COPY REG - "Records & Index First Church Dorchester
1729-184-5." (Flyleaf: "Records of First Church Dor-
chester. Baptisms 1729-1837 Deaths 1729-1779 Full
Communions 1729-1845 Owned the Covenant 1729-1836.")
Owned and held by the City Registrar, City Hall, Boston.

CR IV - "Records of the Body variously called The First
Church of Christ in Dorchester The First Church in Dor-
chester The Church of the First Parish in Dorchester
The First Parish Church in Dorchester (incorporated
Jan. 25 1913) from Jan 29, 1815 to Jan 2, 1920 when the
union of the Church and the Parish was completed."

PR I - "Records
1808-1837-

First Parish Dorchester Vol. 1."

PR II - "Records First Parish Dorchester." (Flyleaf
"Records of the first Parish in Dorchester commencing
April 10ib 1837 Vol. 2.") 1837-1856.

PR III - "Records
1857-1903.

Vol. 3 First Parish Dorchester."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts,
1817-1881; Church and Parish Financial Records, 1807-1865;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1844-1866, 1866-1899, 1856-
1904; Pew Deeds, 1855-1885; and collections of calendared
loose papers of the church and parish. See also "Manu-
script of Rev. Josiah Flynt, of Braintree and Dorchester,"
DHR, X (1899), 19-25, for two disciplinary cases which
occurred at Dorchester in 1674-1676.

96

BOSTON, Jamaica Plain, First (U).

The church was gathered on Dec. 11, 1770 as the Church of
the Third Parish in Roxbury. The Third Parish had been
partially organized in 1769; it was fully incorporated in
1772. In 1864, with the designation of the area by its
modern name, the organization was incorporated p as the
First Congregational Society of Jamaica Plain.

First Congregat

Ministers: William Gordon, D.B.

Thomas Gray, D.D.
Ruling elders: none.

(inst. 1772; dism. 1786;

d. 1807)

(ord B 1793; d. 1847)

Deacons :

Joseph Brewer

Ezra Davis
Nathaniel Weld
Isaac Williams

(e. ca. 1771; mo 1778)
(e. ca. 1771; m. 1782)
(m. 1775-1801)
(m. 1794-1799)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by

the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1770-1847. 5

VS I - "Records & Index Third Parish Church Roxbury
1771-1860." (Flyleaf: "Records of Admissions Marriages
Baptisms Deaths Third Parish in Roxbury Jamaica Plain
1771-1860.") Copied from CR I. Owned and held by the
City Registrar, City Hall, Boston.

CR II - "First Congregational Society of Jamaica Plain."
1847-1855 » with vital statistics to present. Owned by
the church; held by Mr. George W. Kenyon of Jamaica Plain,

1. The 1769 date is sometimes cited as that of the par-
ish's incorporation, but the parish records refute this.

2. This is the church which Emil Oberholzer, Jr c , lists
as extinct, in Delinquent Saints (New York, 1956), p. 355-

$• This book of records was extant when Sllen L. Ernst
wrote The First Congregational Society of Jamaica Plain
(The Third Parish Church in Roxbury ). l769 - 190^T (n.p. ,
1909) , the best of the several published Histories of the
church.

97

PR I - "Records The Cong. Soc. of 3d Parish in Roxbury."
1769-184J.

Miscellaneous records: Pew Deeds, 1845-1849.

BOSTON, Roxbury, First (U).

1

The church was gathered in 1652. Precinct records com-
mence in 1733, gradually to be replaced by the rubric
"parish records." The First Religious Society was incor-
porated in 1825. In 1868, Roxbury was annexed to Boston.

Ministers :

Thomas Welde

John Eliot

Samuel Danforth

Nehemiah Walter
Thomas Walter
Oliver Peabody
Amos Adams
Eliphalet Porter, D.D

Ruling elders: John Miller

Isaac Heath
John Bowles
John Peirpoynt
Samuel Williams
John Bowles, Jr.

(inst. pastor 1632;

rem. 1641; d c 1660/61)

(ord. teacher 1652;

d. 1690)

(ord. pastor 1650;

d. 16?4)

(ord. 1688; d. 1750)
ord. 1718; d. 1724/25)
ord. 1750; d. 1752)
ord. 1753; do 1775)
ord. 1782; d. 1833)

(e. ca. 1637; rem. 1639;

d. 1553)

(e. ca. 1637; d<> 1660/61)

(e. 1674; d. 1680)

(e. 1674; d. 1682)

(e. 1677; d. 1698)

(e. 1688; d. 1691 )

1. Roxbury was sometimes referred to as "the East Pre-
cinct."

2. Later minister at Rowley, Yarmouth and Groton
successively.

98

Deacons: George Alcock

(e, at Dorchester

1631 ?; ord. Roxbury

1632; d. 164-0)

William Parke

(ord. 1632; d. 1683)
(ord. ca. 1640;

Philip Eliot

d. 16577

Giles Paison

(e. 1671/72;

d. 1688/89)

William Gary

(ord. before 1687
d 1712)

Samuel Scarborough

Cord, before 1700
d. 1714/15)

John Paison

(ord. before 1705

d. 1719 r

John Mayo

(ord. before 1711
d. 1732/33)

John May

(ord. before 1711
do 1730/31)

John Paison

(ord, before 1732

in-

eluded in the Second

Precinct when it was

set off in 1738/39;

served as deacon there

until d. 1747/48)

Edward Ruggles

(ord. before 1732;

rem. 1753; d. 1765)

Samuel Gridley

(ord. 1736; d. 1776)
(e. and ord. 1753;
d. 1773K

Deacon Stephen Williams

Ebenezer Craft

Cord. 1753; d. 1791)
(ord. 1773; d. 1786)

William Girdley

Samuel Su inner

(ord. 1779; do 1813)
(ord. 1785; d. 1821)

David Weld

Nehemiah Munroe

(ordo 1787; d. 1828)
(ord. 1787; d. 1816)

Joshua Pelt on

1. James De Normandie et alii, A M

emorial Service in the

First Church in Roxbury, November 9, 1913 (.Boston, 131477
pp. 5 and 9, names as ''our first deacon" one William

Pyncheon, and as "the first ruling

elder" Isaac Heath.

The records, however, make no mention of Pyncheon.

2. Sometimes given as "Payson, " and the same "Deacon

Person" mentioned in the Sudbury church records for 1705»

3. Noted as having been "formerly

Deacon of the 2d Chh

in this Town. "

99

The records are owned by the church; those starred (•) are
deposited in a Boston bank.

CR I - "Roxbury First Church Records." (Flyleaf: "The
Church of Roxbury Boole A:") Memoranda on first members
of the church; vital statistics and running records, 1642-

1775.*

Much of CR I has been published serially:

William B. Trask (ed.), "The Rev. John Eliot's
Record of Church Members, Roxbury, Mass.," NEHGR,
XXXV (1881), 21-24, 241-24-7. Eliot f s memoranda
on the first members of the church.

William B. Traslc (ed.), "Rev. John Eliot *s Records
of the First Church in Roxbury, Mass.," NSHGR ,
XXXIII (1879), 62-66, 236-239, 295-299, Zfl^ie.
Memoranda and church acts, 1642-1677.

William B. Traslc (ed.), "Rev. Samuel Danforth's
Records of the First Church in Roxbury, Mass.,"
NEHGR , XXXIV (1880), 84-89, 162-166, 297-301, 359-
363. Church acts, 1649-1674, omitting disciplinary
proceedings.

See also James De Normandie, "Some Notes from an Old
Parish Record Boole," NHSP, 2nd Ser. , XVIII (1903-
1904), 340-347. Despite the title, these are ex-
cerpts from Eliot's church records.

CR I PUB - "The Rev. John Eliot's ttecord of Church Members,"
in City of Boston, A Re port of the Record Commissioners ,
Containing the Roxbury Land and Church Records, 2nd ed.
(Boston, ISS^fT, PP. 71-2T27 "TEis comprises Boston City
Document No. 114, first printed in 1881.

Purportedly a complete publication of CR I, in which the
entries have been chronologically and topically arranged,
CR I PUB omits the records for 1751-1775 as "containing
nothing- of interest to the public," bowdlerizes many of the
disciplinary notices and drops other entries, all without
indicating that the original text has been tampered with.

CR II - "A Book of Entries belonging to the 1st Church of
Christ in Roxbury Begun the 11th of June 1779 — When sd
Church was destitute of a Settled Ministr Joseph Ruggles
Clerk to y e Chh's Commtee Book B." Church records, 1779-
1782, 1838-1883; vital statistics from 1779 include bap-
tisms to 1882, owners of the covenant to 1829, admissions
to 1830, marriages to 1876, burials to 1883.*

100

CR III - "Book C." Church records, 1839-1843, with ad-
missions , 1851-1881.

CR IV - "Records First Church in Roxbury." Scattered
church votes and vital statistics, 1883-present.

VS A - "First Church in Roxbury [Index toj Baptisms
No. 1 1779 to 1862.*'*

VS B - "First Church in Roxbury [Index to] Baptisms
Noo 2. 1779 to 1862."*

VS C - "First Church in Roxbury [Index to] Baptisms
1779 to 1862. No. 5."*

VS D - "First Church. [Index to] Members who have owned
the Baptismal Covenant. 1779 to 1824."*

VS E - "First Church. [Index to] Persons admitted to
Church Fellowship. 1779 to 1830."*

VS F - "First Church in Roxbury Register of Marriages
1782 to 1862."*

VS G - "First Church in Roxbury [Index to] Burials from
1779 to 1862. No. 1."*

VS H - "First Church in Roxbury [Index to] Burials from
1779 to 1862. No. 2."*

PR I - "Records of the first Parish Roxbury Begun 1733."
(Flyleaf: "Records of Roxbury first Precinct.") 1733-
1814.*

PR II - "Records, First Parish, Roxbury 1815." 1815-
1867.*

SR III - "Records First Religious Society Roxbury. "
1868-1905.*

PR/SR INDEX - "First Religious Society in Roxbury Index
to Parish Records 1733 to 1861."*

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Accounts, 1789-1883;
Parish/Society Treasurer's Accounts, 174-0-1824, 1825-1855,
1830-1907; Pew Tax Accounts, 1804-1806, 1313-1824, 1856-
1862, 1863-1875, 1871-1874, 1876-1891; Pew Deeds, 1805-
1826, 1305-1817, 1317-1829, 1862-1894- ; Records of Meetinc-
House Renovation Committee, 1357-1376.

101

BOSTON, West Roxbury, First (U).

The church of the Vest Parish in Roxbury was gathered on
Nov. 2, 1712o The West Precinct in Roxbury was incorpo-
rated in 1753- The West Parish was itself incorporated
in 1772. In 1851» West Roxbury was set off as a town, al
though the First Parish in West Roxbury did not receive
incorporation until 1866. In 1874, West Roxbury was an-
nexed to Boston, and the First Parish was reincorporated
in 1890.

Ministers :

Ebenezer Thayer
Nathaniel Walter
Thomas Abbot

John Bradford

(ord. 1712;
(ord. 1734;
(ord. 1773;
d. 1789)
(ord. 1785;

d. 1753)
d. 1776)
dism. 1785;

d. 1825)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Lyon

Nathaniel Brewer
Isaac Newel
Ichabod Davis
Nathaniel Brewer
John Davis
Ezra Davis
David Weld
Ephraim Murdock
Noah Davis

(e. 1713)

Ce. 1713)

(e. 1720)

Ce. 173^;

Ce. 1735;

(m. 1744;

Ce. 1754;

Ce. 1772;

Ce. 1774;

Ce. 1787;

1736)
1736)
1774;

1773)
1790)
1787;

ord.

ord.

res.

rem.

m

res.

d. 1807)

d. 1776)

d. 1803)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "Second Parish of Roxbury, Mass. - Covenant, Bap-
tisms, etc., 1712-1775«" Photostat; location of original
unknown.

CR II - "For the Use of the Church at the west end of
Roxbury. " 1774-1818.

CR III - "Chh Records." 1824-1837.

CR I, II, III COPY - "Records and Index First Church
West Roxbury 1712-1837 Marr. Bapt. & Deaths." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Chh, West Roxbury. Church History,
Marriages, Baptisms, Deaths, 1712-1837*") A complete copy
of the above, as well as of precinct records, 1733-1796.
Owned and held by the City Registrar, City Hall, Boston.

102

CR IV - "The church Records of the Second Parish in
Roxbury. " 1837-1846.

CR V - "Chh Records. Vol. V." 1846-1870.

CR VI - "Records of the First Church in West Roxbury."
1870-1879, with vital statistics to 1891.

PR I - Precinct /Parish Records, 1733-1796.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Accounts, 1811-1825,
1825-1874; Precinct/Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1749-
1817, 1818-1900.

BOSTON, Brattle Square or Street (see Boston, Fourth).

BOSTON, Brookline (see Brookline ) .

BOSTON, Church in Church Green (see Boston, Sixth).

BOSTON, [Andrew] Croswell's Church (see Boston, Eleventh)

103

BOSTON, Dorchester, South Precinct (see Canton)

BOSTON, Dorchester, "a part of" the South Precinct (see
Stoughton).

BOSTON, Federal Street Church (see Boston, Arlington
Street Church).

BOSTON, Hollis Street Church (see Boston, Eighth).

BOSTON. Church in Long Lane (see Boston, Arlington Street
Church;.

BOSTON, Lynde Street Church (see Boston, Ninth).

104-

BOSTON, Manifesto Church (see Boston, Fourth)

BOSTON, [Samuel] Mather's Church (see Boston, Tenth.)

BOSTON, Muddy River (Hamlet) (see Brookline).

BOSTON, New Brick Church (see Boston, Seventh)

BOSTON, New Church at the South End (see Boston, 3ighth)

BOSTON, New North Church (see Boston, Fifth).

BOSTON, New South (Free) Church (see Boston, Sixth)

105

BOSTON, Old Brick Church (see Boston, First).

BOSTON

, Old North Church (see Boston, Second).

BOSTON, Old South Church (see Boston, Third).

BOSTON, Church of the Presbyterian Strangers (see Boston,
Arlington Street Church).

BOSTON, Roxbury,
First).

East Precinct (see Boston, Roxbury,

BOSTON

Roxbury. Second Parish (see Boston, West Roxbury)

106

BOSTON, Roxbury, Third Church (see Boston, West Roxbury)

BOSTON, Roxbury, Third Church and Parish (see Boston,
Jamaica Plain),

BOSTON, Roxbury, West End, Precinct and Parish (see

Boston, West Roxbury).

BOSTON, School Street Church (see Boston, Eleventh)

BOSTON, West Church (see Boston, Ninth).

BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church (C), extinct.

Tradition holds that Roger Williams, John Eliot, Thomas
Mayhew, Jr a and William Leverich all preached to the
Indians at Comassakumkanet (Herring Pond or Ponds) between
1631 and 1653* The first regular ministry appears to have

107

been that of Capt. Thomas Tupper, a missionary venture
begun in 1658.

Since Eliot's 1670 list of Indian churches makes no men-
tion of Herring Pond(s), it is usually assumed that_formal
organization of the Indian church took place after Eliot
wrote, but before Tupper' s death in 1675/76. The meeting-
house, financed by Judge Samuel Sewall, was erected in

1689-1691. . , ..

The church probably became extinct with the death of the
last of the missionary Tuppers, Elisha, in 1787. However,
the remnants of the Christian Indian community received
the ministrations of Indian and white preachers as late

as 1849. . w

The Herring Pond(s) area lies partly in Plymouth and
partly in the Sagamore section of Bourne (and was once part
of Sandwich Second Precinct).

For detailed information on all the Indian praying towns
and churches, see Frederick L. Weis, "The New England
Company of 1649 and its Missionary Enterprises, CSMP,
XXXVIII (1947-1951), 134-218, and William Kellaway, The
New England Company , 1649 - 1776 (London, 1961). Kellaway
reports on the company^s publications, described earlier
by George P. Winship, The Eliot Indian Tracts (Cambridge,
1925). Among the seventeenth century items used _ in pre-
Daring the present inventory of churches and their per-
sonnel, mention should be made of John Eliot's A Brief
Narr ative of the Progress of the Gospel amongst the In-
dians in 1^-15^1 and in the year 1670 (16?!, repTBoston,
1866), "and the 1698 report of Raws on and Danforth, pub-
lished by Cotton Mather et alii as k Letter about the
Present State of Christianity among the Christianized
Indians of Newlingland (Boston, 1705TTreprinted as
"Account of an Indian Visitation," MHSC , 1st Ser. , X
(1809, rep. 1857), 129-15*0.

Ministers: Capt, Thomas Tupper

John Cotton, Jr.

(prob. not ord.; tended
the Indian mission at
Herring Pond 1658-
d. 1675/76; also helped
supply Sandwich First the
last two years of his
life)
(Indian mission on the
Vineyard 1664-1667; ord.
Plymouth First 1669, also
ministered to two dozen
"praying Indian" towns
and churches; rem. 1697;

d. 1699)

108

Charles of Hannamit

Capt. Thomas Tupper, Jr,

Rowland Cotton

Ralph Jones
Jacob Hedge

Eld ad Tupper

Josiah Cotton

Solomon Briant

Elisha Tupper

(Indian preacher,
active here and at
praying towns in
Bourne [ Mannami t ]
and Wareham [Wewean-
tic] 1674-1685)
(prob. not ord. ;
served at Herring
Pond 1676-d. 1706)
(ord. Sandwich First
1694, ministered to
six Indian praying
towns and churches;
d* 1721/22)
(Indian preacher,
1698)

(Indian preacher,
also associated with
praying town at Ply-
mouth [Hanomet Ponds]
1698-1709)
(prob. not ord. ;
grandson and son of
the Captains Tupper,
and like them a mem-
ber of Sandwich First;
helped organise Sand-
wich Second 1734- ;
ministered here 1706-
do 1750)

(ministered to a half
dozen Indian praying
towns and churches
1707-d. 1744)
(Ind_an preacher,
also associated with
Bourne [Hannamit ] ,
Mashpee, Orleans
[ Pot anumaquut ] , Yar-
mouth [Matakees]
1720-d. 1775)
(son of Eldad; prob„
ord, ; served four
Indian praying towns
and churches 1739-
d. 1787)

log

Gideon Hawley

Isaac Jeffrey

Duncan Ingraham
Phinehas Fish

(ord. 1754- to Indian mission
field; inst. Mashpee 1758;
d # 1807; associated with
eleven Indian praying towns
and churches)

(Indian preacher, also asso-
ciated with Bourne [Mannamit],
Bourne [Pocasset], Plymouth
[Manomet Ponds] 1767-1770)
(missionary 1774-1779)
(ord. Mashpee 1812; rem. 1840:
d. 1854; also associated here;

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

BOURNE, Pocasset (Pokesit) Indian Church (C), extinct.

The praying town at Pocasset came into being about 1675°
If a church was formally gathered here, it is likely that
its organization was guided by Benjamin Fessenden, ca.
1725e The death of the last of the missionary Tuppers in
1787 was accompanied by the disintegration of the com-
munity.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers ;

Benjamin Fessenden (ora. Sandwich First 1722;

also ministered here and
at Sandwich [Skau'oon] ;
d. 1?46)

1. See Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Company of
1649 and its Missionary Enterprises," CSMP, XXXVIII (1947-
1951), 1 $4-218. Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape
Cod (Boston, 1860-1862), doubts that a church was gathered
at Pocasset.

110

Joseph Briant

Joseph Bourne

Joseph Papenah
Gideon Hawley

Elisha Tupper

(Indian preacher, active here
and at Mashpee and Orleans
[Potanumaquut] from 1725;
ordo Orleans [Potanumaquut]
1753; d. 1759-1760)
(ord. Mashpee 1729» also min-
istered to seven "praying
Indian" towns and churches;
d. 1767)

(Indian preacher, also asso-
ciated with Falmouth
[Succonesit] 1758-1762)
(ord. 1754- to Indian mission
field; inst. Mashpee 1758;
d. 1807; associated with
eleven Indian praying towns
and churches)

(prob. ord. ; served four Indian
praying towns and churches
1739-d. 1787)

[BOURNE, Monument (C), extinct •]

Because Pocasset was incorporated (as the Second Precinct
of Sandwich) in 1772, it is sometimes assumed that church
organization among the English residents dates from that
year. However, Monument Church was actually gathered in

1833.

30XB0R0 (Univ.), extinct.

The church was gathered on April 29, 1784, the Society
having been organized in 1775* Th e majority of the church
members withdrew in 1829 to form an orthodox society and
church. The old Society continued to sponsor occasional

Ill

services under Universalist auspices until l£542. In 1370,
v.dtn the sale of the meetinghouse to the town, the old
Society ceased to exist.

Minister: Joseph Willard

(inst. 17^5; res. lo23;
d. 1623)

Ruling elders: none.

Leacons: Abel Pletcnex
Oliver I-.ead
Koses '.."hitconu

(e. 17S4; res. 1505; d. 1322)
U. 1764;.,res. 1615; m. 1621)
(e. 1605)

The recorcs are owned and held by the Evangelical Congre-
gational Church of Boxborough.

OR I - "The Gift of Samuel Wetfcerbee, To The Church in
-loxborough. June the 17th: 1764." Recorcs of the old
church, 1734-1829; of the Evangelical Congregational
Church , 1829-1654 .

CH II & SR II - "Records,
its society, 1656-1642.

Hecoras of the old church and

SR I - ;:I3SII.G, "rfecorc ioo.:. The Gift of 3ennet Wood to
the Society Buxlding a Kee ting-Bouse in .iortn-westerly
part of Stow. Littleton, August Jl» 1776." Society
records, 1775-18J6. 2

SCX?CRD, First (C).

The church was fathered on Dec. 50, 1702, and the First
Parish organized in 1755- -he Trustees of the Ministerial
Fund v;ere incorporated in 1825? an<* ~ne Proprietors of the
lectin- -r.ouse organised in 1640.

1. The only other deacons of the olc ci.urch, ooseph Stone
and Paul Eayward, or., were elected in 161G, and died in
1622 and 1342, respectively.

2. Cited by Lucie C. ~,a~ar, 3oxi)orottga : A i.ew ^r.,;lana
Town and Its leople (Philadelphia, lovl) , ; - 57-

112

Ministers: Thomas Symmes
John Rogers
Eliezur Holyoke

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Thomas Perley

Abraham Redington
Daniel Wood
Jonathan Foster
Timothy Foster
Nathan Peabody
Thomas Redington
Aaron Kimball
Joseph Hale
Stephen Symonds
Joseph Symonds
John Dorman
Hoses Peabody
Jonathan Wood
Parker Spofford

Cord. 1?02; res. 1708:
d. 1725)

(ord. 1709; rem. 174-3;
d. 1755)

Cord. 1759; d. 1806)

(e. 1702 ?; eta. 1709)

(e. 1702 ?; eta. 1713)

(e. 1714)

(e. 1717; eta. 1730)

(e. 1718; eta. 1759)

(e. 1730; d. 1733)

(e. 1734; eta. 1759)

(e. 1759; eta. 1774 ?)

(e. 1759; eta. 1765)

(e. 1765; eta. 1808)

(e 177^; eta. 1778)

(e. 1780; eta. 1792)

e. 1792; eta. 1826)

e. 1795; eta. 1797)

(e. 1798; eta. 1836)

The records are owned by the church and deposited with
the Town Clerk.

CR I - Church Records, 1703-1758, with some vital statis-
tics to 1793.

CR I COPY - CR 1, copied in 1886.

CR II - "Records of the First Church of Christ in Boxford,
Vol. 2." 1758-1852. x

CR III - "Records of the First Church in Boxford." 1854-
1836.

CR IV - "Records of the Church in the First Parish of
Boxford. " 1838-1880.

CR V - "Records of the First Church, Boxford." 1881-1898.

1. Because becun at a time when it was thought that CR I
had been lost, CR II contains an independent account of
church affairs 1703-1758.

113

PR I - Parish Records, 1735-1759.

PR II - Parish Records, 1759-1876.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors 1 and Treasurer's
Accounts, 1794-1885; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1838-
1907.

BCXFORD, West (C).

The church was gathered on Dec* 9» 1736 as the Church in
the Second Parish of Boxford (itself incorporated in
1735)o X

Ministers:

John Cushing
Moses Hale
Peter Eaton, D.D

(ord. 1736;
ford. 177^;
(ord. 1789;

d. 1772)
d. 1786)
d. 1846)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons: John Worster

Caleb Brown

David Foster
Thomas Chadwick
Lt. Joseph Hovey
John Chadwick
Asa Parker

John Robinson, Esq

(e. 1737; suspended from
office for New Light activ-
ities 17^-5)
(e. 1737; rem. 1743;
dism. 1744-)
(e. 17^3; d. 1759)
(e. 1746)

(e. 1759;

(e. 1786;

(e. 1790;

d. after 1813)

(e. 1795; res. 1806)

d. 1785)
res. 1795)
res. 1806;

The records are owned by the church and deposited with
the Town Clerk.

1. An error frequently met in the older histories of
Boxford and Essex County is the dating of the church's
gathering on Dec. 9» 1735*

114-

CR I - "Records of y e Second Church of Christ in Boxford."

1756-1850.

PR I - Parish Records, 1755-1776.

PR II - Parish Records, 1776-184-5.

Miscellaneous parish records: Collector's Accounts, 1735-
1786; Assessors 1 Rate Book, 1792-1865; Parish Committee
Records, 1795-1866; Treasurer's Accounts, 1847-1919.
Mention should also be made of Edward E. Pearl's type-
script history, "Second Congregational Church. Boxford,"
owned and held by The Congregational Library, Boston.

BOXFORD, Second (see Boxford, West).

BOrLSTOH, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 6, 174-3 as the Church of
the Second or North Precinct in Shrewsbury,, When the pre-
cinct became a town in 1786, the First Parish of Boylston
was organized, and the church accordingly changed its
name. During the pastorate of Arminian minister Ward
Cotton, antagonism" between his adherents and the orthodox
led to a series of ecclesiastical councils, the last of
which in 1825 dismissed him from the pastorate on behalf
of the orthodox church members. Cotton continued at
Boylston, preaching at private homes and in the town hall,
and a Unitarian church and society (1834) were organized.

1. Some scraps of information are contained in "Items
from an Interleaved Copy of Ames's Almanac for 17^6, be-
longing to Rev. John Gushing," NEHGR, XIX (1865), 257-241;
rep. in EA, IV (1900), 155-156.

115

After Cotton's departure, this venture drifted into
Universalism, and finally became extinct. Its records
have disappeared. The orthodox church of the First Parish
continues in existence today-

Ministers :

Ebenezer Horse

Eleazar Fairbanks

Hezekiah Hooper
Ward Cotton

(ord. 174-3; dism. 1775;

d. 1802)

Cord. 1777; res. 1793;

d. 1821)

(ord. 1794; d. 1795)

(ord. 1797; dism, 1825;

d. 1843)

Ruling elders: none.

^_ 2

(e.

17^3;

eta. by 1767)

Ce.

17^3;

m. ±768)

(e.

1743;

m. 1769)

(e.

1772;

m. 1779)

(e.

1772;

eta. by 1815)

(e.

1779;

eta. by 1793)

(e.

1794;

eta. by 1811)

(e.

1794;

eta. by 1797)

(e.

1794;

eta. by 1826)

Ce.

1797;

eta. by 1821)

Deacons: Deacon John Keyes, sr
Deacon Cyprian Keyes
Jonathan keyes
Amariah Bigelow
Levi Moore
Jonathan Bond
Jonas Goodenow
Cyrus Houghton
Daniel Andrews
Jonathan Bond, Jr.

The records are owned by the church and deposited with
the Town Clerk, unless otherwise noted,

OR I - "Old Church Record, Shrewsbury 17^4 ±750." 1?4^-
1774, with some vital statistics to 1791. Owned and held
by The New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.

CR I PUB - "Records of the Church in the North Parish of
Shrewsbury," NjHGR, LaXVII (1923), 17-33. Omits almost
all church votes, printing only vital statistics.

1. Some confusion has resulted from Frederick L. Weis 1
categorization of the 174-3 body as an extinct Unitarian
church and parish. See The Colonial Clergy and The
Colonial Churches of Hew upland ' (Lancaster , Mass . , 1936),
p. 24-2. The several published histories of the church
correct Weis 1 mistake.

2. Originally deacons at Shrewsbury.

116

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1777-1832. Presumed
lost by fire,

CR III - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the
Church of Christ in Boylston beginning with the settle-
ment of Rev, W. H. Sanford Oct. 17th, 1832.") 1832-1893.

CR IV - "Boylston Cong. Church Records - From June 1893
to April 1908." 1893-1939.

PR I - "Records of the Second Precinct in Shrewsbury, Town
of Boylston." (Flyleaf: "The Records of The north Pre-
cinct in Shrewsbury Anno Domini 1742/3.") 1742/43-1786.

PR II - "Records First Parish Boylston 1796-1840."
"Boylston First Precinct Book of records Begun 1796."

PR III - "Parish Records of the First Parish Boylston,
Mass." 1841-1910.

Miscellaneous records: Assessors' Records for "the first
Unitarian Society," 1836.

B0YLST0II, STERLING AOT HOLDEU , Second Precinct and Church
(see West Boylston).

BRADFORD. First Church and Parish/Society (see Haverhill,
Bradford).

1. See George L. Wright, MS "Boylston History," ca. 1920,
kept with the church records in Boylston.

117

BRADFORD, East Parish (see Groveland)

3RADF0RD, Second Church and Parish (see Groveland).

BRAINTREE, First (C).

Braintree was incorporated as a town in 1640, and origi-
nally encompassed present-day Braintree, Quincy, Randolph
and Holbrook. The Quincy area ("Mount Wollaston") was
the site of the original church, dating from 1639. The
church in present-day Braintree was gathered on Sept. 10,

1707.

In 1708 old Braintree was divided into duly incorporated
precincts, the North (Quincy) and the South (Braintree,
sometimes called "Monatiquot " ). When Quincy was set off
as a town in 1792, the 1707 church was duly designated
The First Church in Braintree -

Ministers :

Hugh Adams
Samuel Niles
Ezra Weld

(ord. 1707; rem* 1710; d. 1750)
(ord. 1711 ; d„ 1762)
(ordo 1762; d. 1816)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Joseph Allen
Caleb Hubbard
Peter Hobart
Samuel White
Elkanah Wales

(e. 1708-1711;

(m. 1711)

(e. 1719)

(e. 1719)!

(m. l?40) x

d. 1726)

1. Wales was evidently elected some years
susDended from office for reasons unknown,
to office in 174-0.

earlier, was
and restored

118

Jonathan Haywood
William Hunt
John Holbrook
James Penniman
Jon at nan AJ_ 1 en
Capt. Thomas Allen
John Holbrook, Jr.
Moses French
Caleb Hayward
Adam Hobart
Elihu Thayer

(do 1757)

(e. 174.2)

(e. 17^2; d. 1762)

(e. 1757; m. 1784)

(e. 1757; d. 1761 ?)

(e. 1757; d. 1761)

(e. 1761)

(m. 1784-1803)

(m. 1803)

(m« 1803 ;,d. 1824)

(m. 1803 )

The records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1707-1762(?) 2

CR I COPY - "Copy of Older Record Book and Dr. Storrs'
Record Book." A copy of the Niles record book, covering
1707-1762, parts^-of the third pastorate (Weld) and the
years 1811-1871.

CR II - "Church Records 3 May 1790 to December, 1825."

1. F. A, Hobart' s address in Centennial Celebration at
Braintree, Mass., July 4, 1876 (.Boston. 1877) mislead -
ingly identifies several Quincy deacons as serving at
Braintree.

2. A memorandum, ca. 1790, on the flyleaf of CR II says
''Mr. Niles having kept the records of the chh in his day
in a book of his own, in which he also inserted many of
his own family concerns, his family are unwilling to
give up the book. It is in the hands of the Rev. Samuel
Niles of Abbington [Ct.], and will probably be continued
in his family, where, if need be, it may be consulted at
any time, with freedom."

A. Horse, writing more than a half century later in
"Record of Rev. Samuel Niles," NSHGR, VII (1854), 225,
speaks of Niles' "aged daughters" living in their
father's house, and still possessing the Niles' record
book. No further mention has ever been made of the
volume's existence.

3. Some excerpted marriage records were published by
Edward S. Jackson, "A List of Marriages by Rev. Samuel
Niles of 3raintree, Mass.. 1739-1762, Not Entered on
Town Records," NSHGR, LX (1906), 41-43.

119

[CR III - Latter part of CR I COPY, church records, 1811-
1871.]

CR IV - "Church Records. January, 1872 to November,
1888." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Church, Braintree.
Jan. 1st, 1872. Vol. 2d.")

CR V - "Church Records. January 1889 to December, 1911."

PR I - "First Record Book. January 1708 to May 6, 1796."
(Flyleaf: "Braintree South Precinct Book of Records In
Which is ReEntered The votes of Said Precinct on March 14th
1719-20 Out of the Former Book Baring Date From Janry 17th
1708/09.")

PR II - "Parish Records. March, 1811 to January, 1838."
(Flyleaf: "The First Parish of Braintree. Records.")

PR III - "Parish Records. March, 1858 to January, 1902."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the First Parish in Braintree
Mass. AD. 1838.")

BRAINTREE, First Church (see ^uincy).

BRAINTREE, North Precinct/Parish and Church (see Quincy)

BRAINTREE, South Church and Precinct (see Braintree,
First).

120

BRAINTRS2, South Precinct .and Church (see Randolph)

BRAINTREE, Third Precinct and Church (see Randolph).

BHEWSTKR, First (U).

The church was Gathered on Oct. 16, 1700 as the Church of
the First or North Precinct of Harwich, incorporated the
sane day. In 1805 the precinct became the town of
Brewster. The Trustees of the Brewster Ministry Fund
were incorporated in 1811. The First Parish in Brewster
was incorporated in 1358, and the church assumed the title
of First Church after 1803 .

Ministers:

Nathaniel Stone
Isaiah Dunster
John oinolcins

(ord. 1700; d. 1755)

(ord. 1748; d. 1791)

(ord. 1791; dism. 1331;
d. 1343)

Rulin • elders: none.

Deacons:

Thomas Freeman

(e.

1700;

d.

1716)
175D

Thomas Crosby

(e.

1716;

a.

Thomas Lincoln

::

1716;

Q.

1725)

Chillin<_~sworth Foster

1731;

n.

1765)

Joseph Hayo

(e.

1740;

m.

1766)

John Snow

(e.

1760:

a.

1780)

Heman otone

(e.

1766)

3dmund Freeman

(e.

1766)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the
To;n Hall, unless otherwise noted.

121

CR I - "Records of the Brewster congregational church.
Oct. 16. 1700, to 1791." Owned and held by a resident
of Brewster. A microfilm copy is o./ned and held by the
Town Clerk.

CR I PUB - Records of the Brewster Conformational Chur ch,
Brewst er, Massachusett s, 1700 - 1792 (Boston, 1911 J, Unit-
ed edition of twenty-five copies. Some entries bowdlerized

The church disclaims knowledge of any extant 19th century
church records.

PR I - "A Book of Records For y e 1st Precinct in Harwich,
Began March 25th, 174-7." 174-7-1815.

PR II - "Parish Records, 1816-1828."

PR III - "Church [ sic ] Records, 1829-1930."

Miscellaneous records: Trustees of the Ministerial Fund,
1811-1854; Proprietors 1 Records, 1354-1859.

BRIDGEWAT3R, First (U).

Bridgewater originally contained present-day Bridgewater,
West Bridgewater and 3ast 3ridgewater, the oldest church
(1664) beinr located in what is now Vest Bridge './at er. In
1716 old Bridgewater was divided into northern and south-
ern precincts, and it is the South Precinct tha.t comprises
modern Bridgewater. 1 The Church in the South Precinct was
gathered on July 9, 1718. The Trustees of the Ministerial
Fund of the South Parish were incorporated in 1805 » and
the First Congregational Society in Bridgewater in 1855-

1. The division of the northern precinct into .estern and
eastern parts came in 1725 , for which see those entries.

122

Ministers: Benjamin Allen

John Shaw

Zedekiah Sanger, D.D.

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. 1718; rem. 1730:
d. 1754)

(ord. 1731; d. 1791)
(inst. 1788; d. 1820)

Deacons: Eleazar Carver
Joseph Alden
Capt. Josiah Edson
Solomon Pratt
Jacob Hay ward
Col. Josiah Edson
Benjamin Willis
Seth Pratt
James Perkins, Jr.
Bphraim Orcutt
Maj. Isaac Lazell
Peter Conant

e

1734)
1734)
17^1;
(d. 1757)
(d. 1778)

1775)
1775)
1788)

(e. 1803; d.
(e. 1803; d.

d. 1763)

1810)
1823)

All records antedating 1821 were destroyed by fire at that
time. The later records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Bridgewater, collected & copied from former records, &
continued by Claudius Bradford, Pastor. Hay 19, 1845."
1821-1912.

PR I - "Parish Annual Reports, Clerk and Committees,
1877- ." 1877-present.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurers Accounts, 1883-
1892; Parish Assessors' Rate Book, ca. 1820-1830; Parish
Treasurer's Accounts, 1816-1850; Parish Fund Cash Books,
1803-1892, 1892-1905; Pew Deeds, 1845-1902.

BRIDGWATER, East Precinct, East Parish (see East Bridge-
water) •

BRIDGEWATER, Fourth Church (see Brockton).

123

BRIDGEWATER, North Parish (see Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, North Precinct (see West Bridgewater)

BRIDGEWATER, South Precinct, South Parish (see Bridge-
water) -

BRIDGEWATER, Third Church (see East Bridgewater).

BRIDGEWATER, West
water, First).

Precinct and Church (see West Bridge-

BRIDGEWATER AND HIDDL330RO, Church in the Joining Borders
(see Middleboro, North).

BRIGHTON, First Church and Parish (see Boston, Brighton).

124

BRIMFIELD, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov, 18, 1724- and the First
Parish (or Congregational Society) organized in 1852.

Ministers: Richard Treat

James Bridgham
Nehemiah Williams
Clark Brown

Ruling elders: none

(ord. 1724; dism. 1734;
d. 1757)

(ord. 1736; d. 1776)
(ord. 1775; d. 1796)
(supplied from 1795; inst
1798; rem. 1803; d. 1817)

Deacons: David Morgan
Henry Burt
John Stebbins
Luke Blashfield
John Sherman
Joseph Hoar, Sr.

Joseph Hitchcock

Issacher Brown
Joseph Hitchcock, Jr.
Ebenezer Fairbanks
Capt. Samuel Sessions
Jonathan Morgan

(e. 1724; d. 1760)

(m. 1762-1775)

Cm. 1762: d. 1765)

Cm. 1775)

(e. 1775;
d. 1797)
(e. 1777)
(e. 1785;
(e. 1785;
(e. 1793;
(e. 1800;
(e. 1800)

res. 1785;

d. 1816)
d. 1811)
m. 1798)
rem. 1802)

All records prior to 1746 were destroyed in a parsonage
fire in that year. The extant records are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "Church Records." 1736, 174-9-1837, several lacunae

CR II - "This Book of Records of the Church in Brimfield
commenced with the Rev. Mr. Vaills resettlement as Pastor
of this Church." 1837-1929.

Miscellaneous records:
1666-1937 •

Society Treasurer's Accounts,

125

BROCKTON, First (C).

Old Bridgewater, incorporated as a town in 1656, was
divided into northern and southern precincts in 1712.
The North Precinct was divided into the East and West Pre-
cincts in 1723. In 1733, a part of the West Precinct was
incorporated as the North Precinct in Bridgewater, and it
was this area which became the town of Brockton in 1874.
The church was gathered on Sept. 18, 1740 as the Fourth
Church in Bridgewater. When the area became known as
North Bridgewater, the church became the First Church and
the First Parish in North Bridgewater was incorporated in
1823. The change of names to that of First Church and
First Parish in Brockton came in 1874.

Ministers: John Porter (ord. 1740; d. 1802)

Asa Meech (ord. 1800; rem. 1811; d. 184-9)

Ruling elders:
Deacons :

none.

James Packard
Samuel West
Zachariah Snell
Jonathan Cary
David ILdsen
iSbenezer Packard, Jr.
David Sdsen, Jr.
Sliphalet Packard

(e. 1740)

(e. 1740: rem. after 1746)

(e. 1747)

e. 175D

e. 1768)

e. 1792)

e. 1792)

e. 1798)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "A Church Book." 1740-1812. 1

CR II - "Records 4th Church Bridgewater 10/28/1812 -
1/4/1874."

CR III - "April 2, 1874 - January 25, 1894."

CR IV - Church Records, 1894-1914.

1. Some excerpts were published by Bradford Kingman, in
"Marriages in the North Parish of Bridgewater (Now North
Bridgewater), from January 1, 1742, to January, 1780.
By Rev. John Porter," N2HGR, XIX (1865), 200-204.

126

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1738-1852. On deposit at
the Congregational Library, Boston.

PR II - "April 7, 1852 - April, 1893."

PR III - Parish Records, 1894-1962.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1767-
1862.

BROOKFIELD, First (U).

The facts concerning the origins of the present Brooki'ield
and West Brookfield churches have been sufficiently mis-
represented to warrant detailed treatment here.
Old Brookfield was incorporated as a town in 1673, and its
church was gathered in 1717, the latter event being delayed
that long by recurrent troubles with tne Indians. In 1750,
a Second (or North) Precinct was set off, and a (second)
church gathered there in 1752. (In 1812, this Second Pre-
cinct would be incorporated as the town of North Brookfield;
the 1752 church is so listed in this inventory.)
Meanwhile, troubles were brewing in the First (or old) Pre-
cinct of Brookfield over the location of the meetinghouse.
The old meetinghouse had been situated at Foster's Hill in
the western part of the old precinct ( viz . , in what today is
the town of West Brookfield). In 1753, personnel from the
southern part of the old precinct began razing the old build-
inc: with an eye to replacing it with a new edifice on Brook-
field Common (viz., in what today is the town of Brookfield).
The Foster's Hill group appealed to the General Court, and
that august body intervened.

By order of the Court (Nov. 8, 175*0, the old (or First) pre-
cinct was divided into two parts. The new (western) precinct
was to retain the name and powers of the First Precinct of
Brookfield, - although when incorporated as a town in 1848,
it was given the town name, "West Brookfield!" The new
(southern) precinct was denominated the Third Precinct; when
the Second Precinct achieved townhood in 1812, the Third be-
came the Second Precinct. To complete the confusion, with
the incorporation of the First Precinct in 1848 as the town
of West Brookfield, the now-Second Precinct inherited the
ancient, uncluttered name of "Brookfield."

The church in this Third/Second Precinct was finally gathered
de novo on April 15, 1756, and it is with this church that
we now have to do, that is, the church in the modern town of

1. The culprit appears to have been the Rev. Thomas Noyes,
minister (1799-1833) of Needham's Second Church (now Welles-
ley's First Church), whose notions have misled historians
since the appearance of his article in C£, X (1837-38), 48,

12?

Brookfield.

Ministers: Elisha Harding

Nathan Fiske, D.D.
Miciiael Stone

(ord. Old Brookfield 1749;
dism. 1755; continued at
Brookfield to res, 1756;
d. 1784)

ford. 1758; d. 1799)
(ord. 1801; res. 1827;
d. 1852)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to a lack of church
records, no information can be found regarding the lay
officers of this church, except for a Deacon Gad Willis ton
of Brookfield, mentioned in the Northfield church records
for 1779.

The extant records are owned and held by the church; how-
ever, a church fire in 1911 destroyed virtually all rec-
ords antedating 1893.

PR I - "Parish Records of 1st Congregational Society of
Brookfield, Mass." 1869-1912.

Helpful secondary sources include the several published
manuals of the Brookfield churches, especially Manual of
the Congregational Church, West Brookfield , Magsl (.WesTT"
Brookfield, 1853) • and the anniversary addresses published
by Samuel Dunham (1867), Lyman Whiting (1860), and Leander
T. Chamberlain (1895). See also J. H. Temple. History of
North Brookfield, Massachusetts (Boston, 1887).

BR00KFI3LD, First Church and First Precinct (see West
Brookfield).

1. The present Brookfield Congregational Church also lays
claim to the 1756 date, although its withdrawal from the
parish in 1827 followed the classic pattern established
at Dedham in 1820.

128

BROOKFIELD, North Parish (see North Brookfield)

BROOKFIELD, Second Parish or Society (see Brookfield,
First).

BROOKFIELD. Second Precinct/Parish and Church (see North
Brookfield).

3R00KFIELD, South Parish or Society (see Brookfield).

BROOKFIELD, Third Precinct and Parish (see Brookfield).

BROOKLINE, First (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 26, 1717 as the Church of
the First Parish. The town of Brookline had been set off
in 1705, prior to which time the area had been known as
the Hamlet of Muddy River. The Parish was incorporated
in 18 34-.

129

Ministers: James Allen
Cotton Brown
Nathaniel Potter

Joseph Jackson
John Pierce, D.D.

Rulinr; elders: none.

Deacons : Thomas Gardner

Benjamin White, Jr.
Samuel Clark, Jr.

Thomas Cotton

Ebenezer Davis

Joseph White

Elisha Gardner

William Bowles

Samuel Clark
John Robinson

(ord. 1718; d„ 1747)

(ord. 1748; d. 1751 )

(ord. 1755; dism. 1759;
d. 1768)

(ord. 1760; d, 1796)

(ord. 1797; d„ 1849)

(e. 1718)

(e. 1718; res. 1749)

(adm. 1724; res. 1749;

d. 1766)

(adm. 1726; res. and rem.,

n«do )

(e. 1749; res. 1770;

d. 1775)

(e. 1749; res. 1770;

do 1777)

(e. 1770; res. 1792;

d. 1797)

(e. 1770; res. and rem. to

Nevrton 1772)

(e. 1797; d. 1814)

(e. 1797; d. 1856)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held
by the church.

CR 1 - "Brookline Church Records." Scattered church
records and vital statistics, 1718-1957-

1. A flyleaf memorandum reads: "The Records of Brookline
Church, before the ministry of the Rev. Joseph Jackson,
were but imperfectly kept. All the proceedings of the
Church, which were recorded by the Rev, James Allen, the
first minister, are comprised within one page. This ac-
count of Baptisms is known to be incomplete. Nor is it
certain, taat he recorded all the admissions to the Church,
during his ministry. Of marriages and deaths ne left no
information . . . . This negligence is moreover to be de-
plored, as it set an example, which was too faithfully
followed by the second and third pastors of Brookline
Church." The present volume was begun by John Pierce, who
collected all the extant data of former pastorates and set
it down as a preface to his own account.

130

VS I - "First Parish Church of Brookline. Records of
Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths <, " MS copy, extracted from
CR I. Owned and held by Essex Institute, Salem.

VS I PUB - "First Parish Church Records of Baptisms,
Marriages and Deaths, for 100 Years," BHSP, No. 8 [1897].

Further information can be found in John Pierce's "His-
borical Sketch of Brookline," MHSC, 2nd Ser. , II (1814:
rep. 1846), 140-161, and the same author's A Discourse
Delivered , £ November , 1817 (Boston, 1818).

BROOKLINE, Separate Congregational Church (see Newton,
Separate Congregational Church of 1751-1787).

BUCKLAND (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 8, 1785. The First Parish
was incorporated in 1820, and dissolved at the time of the
church's incorporation in 1888. Because the well-known
educator, Mary Lyon, was early a member, the church calls
itself "The Mary Lyon Church."

Minister: Josiah Spaulding (inst. 1794; d. 1825)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Samuel Taylor (e. 1789; re-e. 1791; re-e.

1793)
Chandler Burgin (e. 1739; re-e. 1791; re-e.

1793)

1. See also No. 5 in this series, "Roxbury Church Records
Relating to Brookline," rep. from Vol. VI of the Reports
of the Record Commissioners of Boston, 2nd ed. (Boston,
1884).

131

Lemuel Taylor (e. 1797; re-e. 1797;

ord. 1807; d. 18 34)
Benjamin Ballard (e. 1797; rem. 1806)
Nathaniel Sherwin (e. and ord. 1807; d.

1834)1

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Buckland."
Scattered entries, 1785-1789; vital statistics: admis-
sions, 1785-1789; marriages, 1794-1823; deaths, 1830-
1836.

CR I COPY & CR II - "Records of the Church in Buckland."
Copy of CR I; original church records to 1877.

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church in Buclc-
land." 1876-1930.

PR I - Parish Records, 1820-1887-

BURLINGTON (C),

The church was gathered on Oct. 29, 1735 as the Second
Church of Christ in Woburn. The Second Precinct in Woburn
had been incorporated in 1730. When in 1799 the area was
organized as the town of Burlington, church and parish
accordingly changed their titles.

Ministers:

Supply Clap (ord. 1735; d. 1747/48)
Thomas Jones (ord. 1751; d. 1774)
John Marrett (ord. 1774; d. 1813)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of early
church records, very little is known about these lay

1. The church experienced considerable difficulty in
settling deacons. The 1791 election named five persons
to the diaconate, all of whom refused to accept ordination
in 1793; finally, in the latter year, two of the five
changed their minds. The 1797 election saw four persons
refusing the office, although one of them later was re-
elected ana ordained.

132

officers of this church. Burlington probably did not
employ ruling elders. Of the early deacons, the names of
the following are known:

Timothy Winn
David Blanchard
David Blanchard, Jr.
Samuel Reed
Joseph Johnson -.
Jonathan Simonds

The extant records are owned and held by the church. A
fire in 1897 destroyed virtually all church records ante-
dating the present century, and all parish records prior
to 1864.

CR I - "The Records of the Second Church of Christ in
Wo burn." Baptisms and admissions, 1735-1827; 19th century
memoranda and lists of church officers; church records,
1904-1919.

3R I - "Records of the Congregational Religious Society

in Burlington, Massachusetts." 1864-1892.

SR II - "Records of the Congregational Religious Society
in Burlington, Massachusetts." 1898-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1869-1881, 1882-1892, 1893-1901.

BYFIELD (C).

Although Byfield is not a town, its history is sufficiently
complicated to warrant an entry under this name. The area
was originally known by its Indian name, "Quascacunquen"

1. The other names mentioned in CR I, p. 125, are proba-
bly those of deacons elected after 1S05-

153

or The Falls (later, Newbury Falls), Comprising the
western portions of modern Rowley and Newbury, one of its
earliest English names combined elements or both words in
the name "Rowlbury Parish" (sometimes miswritten "Rowl-
berry").

Settling the area by 1702, two years later the residents
agreed on the name "Byfield," in honor of a Bostonian who
donated a bell for the meetinghouse. Byfield Precinct was
organized in 1704, and incorporated in 1710. Whether the
church was gathered on Feb. 24, 1704 or at the ordination
of the first minister, Nov. 17, 1706, is uncertain.

In 1838, almost half of the Byfield area was annexed to
New Rowley, pincorporated in that year as the town of
Georgetown. The present location of the church is in
Rowley.

The Proprietors of the Ministerial Fund in the Parish of
Byfield were incorporated in 1812, and the Proprietors of
the Meeting House in 1854.

A New Light separation in 1744 did not produce a Separate
church at Byfield.^ A Presbyterian separation that saw
the gathering of a Presbyterian church in 1796 was simi-
larly short-lived, the dissidents returning to the old
parish church by 1805.

Ministers:

Moses Hale
Moses Parsons
Elijah Parish, D.D.

(ord. 1706;
(ord. 1744;
(ord. 1787;

d. 1744)
d. 1783)
d. 1825)

Ruling elders: none

See

lo Most authorities prefer the 1706 date.
Clark, A Historical Sketch of the Congregational
in Massachusetts , from 1620 to 1858 (Boston, 1858

Frederick

PP. 345-350;

T7V

Joseph S.
Churches

T,

ei

°*

The Colonial Clergy and

The Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster,
1^36), p. 250.

1

ass

2. Weis, loc. cit . ,
under Georgetown.

therefore lists the Byfield Church

3. See C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New
England , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 196277 P- 3

12.

154

Deacons: William Moody
John Cheney

Daniel Jewett
James Chute
Samuel Moody
Joseph Searle
Benjamin Colman
Joseph Poor
Joseph Hale
James Chute

(e. 1706; d. 1730)

(e. 1706 ?; eta. 1723; rem,

1724)

(e. 1723 ?; d. prob. 1727)

(e. 1727 ?; d. 1769)

(e. 1730 ?; d. 1767)

(e. 1763)

(e. 1765; d. 1797)

(e. 1790; d. 1795)

(e. 1790; d. 1818)

(e. 1795; d. 1825)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held
by E. Douglas Jewett, Ipswich.

VS I - "Record of Byfield Parish Baptisms and Deaths. V
1709-1797. Owned and held by Essex Institute, Salem.

CR I - KISSING, Church Records, 1744-1825. 2

CR II - Church Records, 1825-1832, with vital statistics
to 1839.

CR III - "Church Records." 1832-1845.

CR IV - MISSING, Church Records, 1845-1873-

CRV - Church Records, 1873-1951- Owned and held by the
church.

PR I - "Byfield ^.Parish Records. October 29th 1706 -
Mar. 2nd 1762. "^

PR I PUB - "Byfield Parish Records," EIHC, LXXXIX (1953),
163-194, 255-273, 376-392. Complete publication of PR I.

1. The other church records antedating 1744 were noted as
lost in 1860. See Charles Brooks, MS "Historical Sketch,"
owned and held ~o~y Mr. Jewett.

2. Cited as extant by John L. dwell, The Story of Byfield
A New jfri r;land Parish (Boston, 1904), as are CR IV and
FhTT.

3. Missing when Brooks and Ewell wrote, and only recently
recovered.

155

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1762-1805.

PR III - "Record of the Parish of Byfield from 1805 to 1878.

PR IV - MISSING, Parish Records, 1878-1960.

PROP I - "The Proprietors Book of y e Parrish on Newbury
Side Begun April 11, 1753." 1753-1803.

PROP II - "Record of the doings of the proprietors of the
Parsonage wood lot so called, in Newbury part of Byfield.
continued from the old Book which is full- Decmr 3rd 1803."
1803-1838, becoming the records of the Proprietors of the
Ministerial Fund in 1812. Bound with PROP I.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books, 1807-
1823, 1819, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1830,
1831, 1832, 1838, 1841-1842, 1844-1845, 1844-1846; Parish
Treasurer's Accounts, 1717-1827, 1794-1876, 1886-1902; Pro-
prietors Treasurer's Accounts, 1803-1828.

CAMBRIDGE, First Parish and Church (U).
First Church (C).

A church was gathered at Cambridge (then called Newtown) on
or shortly before Oct. 11, 1633. Three years later, the
pastor, the teacher, and many of the church members removed
to Hartford, Ct., establishing themselves there.
Those who remained at Cambridge, together, with newcomers,
gathered a new church on Feb. 1, 1635/36. In 1733, follow-
ing the incorporation of a Second (Menotomy) Precinct, - now
the town of Arlington, - by the General Court, the part of
Cambridge not so set off, namely, "the southeasterly part,"
was organized as the First Precinct (later, First Parish) of
the town of Cambridge.

Separation into Unitarian and Trinitarian bodies came in
the year 1829. The Trustees of the Ministerial ?und in the
First Parish in Cambridge, continuing under Unitarian aus-
pices, had been incorporated in 1818. The Shepard Congrega-
tional Society, representing the orthodox, was incorporated
in 1829.

1. Embedded in the considerable literature claiming for each
of the present churches the right to the title of "First
Church," are occasional attempts to date the present bodies
from 1633-

136

Ministers: Thomas Hooker

Samuel Stone

Thomas Shepard
Jonathan Mitchell
Urian Oakes
Nathaniel Gookin
William Brattle
Nathaniel Applet on ,
Timothy Hilliard
Abiel Holmes

D.D

(ord. pastor 1633; rem.
to Ot. 1636; d. 164-7)
(ord. teacher 1633; rem.
to Ct. 1636; d. 1663)
(ord. 1635/36; d. 164-9)
(ord. 1650; d. 1668)
(ord. 1671; d. 1681)
(ord. 1682; d. 1692)
(ord. 1696; d. 1716/17)
(ord. 1717; d. 1784- )
(inst. 1783; d. 1790)
(inst. 1792; dism. by
parish 1829; cont. as
minister to orthodox
contingent to dism.
1631; d. 1837)

Ruling elders: William Goodwin

1

(e. 1633; rem. to Ct. 1636;
d. 1673)
Richard Chamoney (e. between 1636 and 1658;

d. 1669)

(e. between 1656 and 1658;
d. 1672)

(ord. 1682; d. 1683)
(ord. 1682; d. 1699/1700)

Sdmund Frost

John Stone
Jonas Clark

Deacons: Andrew Warner"

(e. 1633; rem. to Ct. 1636; d.
1684- )

(e. between 1636 and 1658; d.
1664)

(e. between 1636 and 1658; d.
c 1665)

Nathaniel Soarhawk^ (e. between 1639 and 164-7; d.

1647)

Thomas Marrett
John Bridge

1. See George L. Walker, History of the First Church in Hart -
ford , 1633 - 1883 (Hartford, 1884), pp. "57-61, 146-174. As the
result of a church quarrel there, 1653-1659, Goodwin led a
secession -and resettlement at Hadley, Mass., where attain he

served as ruling elder, before removing to Farmington,

Ct.

2. See W. F. Stone, "Will of _21der John Stone," N3HGR , VIII
(1854), 145-146. Not usually listed amonjr this church 1 s
deacons, Stone is so desi;mated by Alexander McKenzie, Lec -
tures on the History of the First Church in Cambridge (Boston,
I3757.~p.~T29: ""

3« See George L. Walker, loc . cit. Like Goodwin, he removed
to Hadley in 1660, presumably served as a deacon there, and
died in 1684.

4. Sometimes siven as "Marriot."

5. Sometimes {jiven as "Sparrowhawk(e) . "

157

Edward Collins
Gregory Stone

Thomas Chesholm
John Cooper 2
Walter Hastings

Nathaniel Sparhawk
Samuel Cooper
Nathaniel Hancock
Joseph Coolidge
Samuel Kidder
Nathaniel Sparhawk
Samuel Bowman
John Bradish
Henry Prentice

Samuel Whittemore
Aaron Hill

Prof. Stephen Sewall
Gideon Frost
James Hunro
John Walton
William Hilliard
Josiah Moore

(e* between 1640 and 1658;

d. 1689)

Ce. between 1636 and 1658;

d. 1672)

(e. after 1658; d. 1671)

(e. after 1658; d. 1691 )

(eo between 1658 and 1693;

d. 1705) . N

(e. after 1658; d. 1686/87)

(e. 1704/05; d. 1717/18)

(e. 1705; d.

(e. 1717/18;

(e. 1717/18;

Ce. 1724; d.

Ce. 1734; d.
(e. 1738; d.
(e. 174-1 ; res.
d. 1787 ?)
Ce. 17^1;
(e. 1774;

Ce. 1777;
Ce. 1783;
Ce. 1783;
Ce. 1792;
(e. 1804;
Ce. 1805;

1719 ) s
d. 1737)
d. 1724)
by 1734)
1774)
by 1741)
1774;

d.

ca. 1783)

d.

1792)

d.

1304)

d.

1803)

d.

1804)

d.

1823)

d.

1836)

d.

1814)

Only fragmentary records, largely vital statistics, ante-
date 1696. Unless otherwise noted, the items cited are
owned and held by the Unitarian body.

OR 1 - "Records of the First Church in Cambridge." List
of members, 1658; Dr. Ezra Stiles' 1772 letter regarding
tne Catherine of the church Cbased on Wintnrop); church
records, 1696-1792. Also a typescript copy.

CR II - "II- Church Records. MDCCXCII." ^C^y^gaf: 3

"Records of the First Church in Cambridge. ) 179^-lopu.
Also a typescript copy.

1. Sometimes given as "Cheeseholme. "

2.
be
o.

«T»hP pqrliPTt reference to Hastings 1 deaconship is to
fould in ISOTON ChLlSSTOWN ?IRST, CR I RJB HIWN3WELL,
S3, under date of 1693*

5. CR II was taken by the orthodox at the time of the
separation, and later returned do the Unitarian body.
See CR IIA.

158

CR PUB I & II - Stephen P. Sharpies (ed.), Records of the
Church of Christ at Cambridge in New England , 16?£ -T850 —
Comprising the Ministerial Records of Bap tisms T~ ferri ages .
Deaths , Admission to Covenant and Communion . Dismissals
and Church Proceedings (Boston, 190STI

CR IIA - "First Parish Church Records beginning

June 28th, 1829." (Flyleaf: "Church Record. - Supplement

to Vol. II.") 1829-1850.

CR III - "Records of the First Church in Cambridge.
Vol. 3." 18 30-1927.

C MISC - MS record of relations of forty-eight candidates
for church membership during Shepard's ministry. Owned
and held by the New England Historic Genealogical Society,
Boston. See NSHGR , XXIII (1869), 369. A photostat cony
is owned and held by the Harvard University Library
(Houghton), Cambridge.

Miscellaneous church financial records:

CT I - MISSING, Church Treasurer's (Deacon's) Ac-
counts, 163S-1645 and 1667-1716. Reported by
Sharpies, op. cit . , pp. v-vi. Reported in CSMP %
XVII (1913-191^D7 249, minutes of the April~T9T4-
meeting, as offered to and accepted by the Colonial
Society, but never published.

CT II - MISSING, Church Treasurer's (Deacon's) Ac-
counts, 1692-1696. Reported by Sharpies, loc. cit .
See Henry E. Edcs, "The Deacons' Books of the First
Church in Cambridge, " CHSP, X (1915), 114-115.

CT III - "Church acct. [?] Book 1795." 1793-1827.

CT IV - "Church Treasurer's Acct. 1829-1853." With
records of the Church Fund to 1890.

CT V - MISSING, Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1853-
post 1915.

Other miscellaneous church records: Church Committee,
1867-1874, 1874-1379, 1879-1834, 1884-1886, 1886-1890,

1. CR IIA was bCGiin by the Unitarian body during the
early days of the separation, when the orthodox held CR II

139

1890-1893 i 1898-1907; Church Committee Financial Accounts,
1897-1904, 1899-1904; "Record Book Congregation of the
First Parish in Cambridge 1898-1911 , " records of body
comprised of persons related to the church who joined
neither the parish nor the church.

PR I - "Vol. A. The First Parish in Cambridge First
Record Book 1733-1755." (Flyleaf: "A This Book
Belongeth To The first or Southeasterly Precinct In
Cambridge: 1733.") Precinct/parish records, 1733-1755-

PR II - "Vol. 3. The First Parish in Cambridge First
[sic] Record Book. 1756-1781."

PR I & II COPY - "The First Parish in Cambridge. Copy of
Record Books A and B 1733-1781." MS copy.

PR III - "Vol C First Parish Records 1782-1794."
(Flyleaf: "A Book for the Records of the First Parish in
Cambridge In their Parish meetings Bought by James Munro
at the Parish Expence Prise 5/ Caimbridge 1782.'

PR IV - "First Parish Records 1795-1814 Book D."

PR V - "Records First Parish in Cambridge." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Parish in Cambridge. March. 1315* )
1815-1845.

PR VI - "Records First Parish in Cambridge." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Parish in Cambridge April 184;>. )
1843-1886.

PR VII - (Binding) "Records. Volume G First Parish in
Cambridge. 1387 to Feb. 14, 1927." (Cover) "First Parish
in Cambridge."

Miscellaneous parish records: Parish Assessors' Rate
Sooks' 1 ^, 1§26-1829, 1850-1833, IBg-lBJO. XSJl.^g?,
1844; Parish Collector's Accounts, 17b^-lb0^, 180^-lSO,
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1764-1855; Parish (Standing)
Committee Records, 1884-1894, 1894-1910; Pew Deeds, 1844-
1867; Records of the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund,
1617-1347, 1848-1904. Some miscellaneous papers are ownea
and held by the Historical Library, Unitarian Universalist
Association, boston.

14-0

CAMBRIDGE, Separate (C/B), extinct.

The church appears to have been gathered at the time of
its pastor's ordination, April 24-, 1751. Whether it had
a distinctly congregational phase before identifying com-
pletely with the Baptist tradition is not known. It was
still in existence in 1784, but had disappeared from the
scene by 181?, when the First Baptist Church was organized.

Minister: Nathaniel Draper (ord. 1751; rem. 1753; d. 1767)

Neither records nor secondary information regarding the lay
oificers of this church are extant. See C. C. Goen, Reviv-
alism and Separatism in New England , 1740 -1S00 (New Haven
3nTTon^n7T9527rPP~97^87Tl^

CAMBRIDGE, tenotomy Precinct (see Arlington).

CAHB2IDGB, North-West Precinct (see Arlington).

CAMBRIDGE, Second Precinct/Parish and Church (see Arlington)

CAMBRIDGE, South Precinct (see Boston, Brighton).

o.VTlBRIDGS, Third Church and Parish (see Boston, Brighton).

141

CAi-iBRIDG3 FARMS, Parish, Church (see Lexington)

CANTON, First Congregational Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 15, 1717 as the Church in
the South Precinct of Dorchester, the area having been so
incorporated in 1715- V/hen this precinct was annexed to
Stoughton in 1736, "the church's name was duly changed and
its parish incorporated as the First in Stoughton, In
1797 the area involved became the town of Canton, the
church took the new title, and in 1820 its parish was re-
incorporated as the First Congregational Parish. The
Trustees of the Hinisterial Fund were incorporated in 1825

Ministers: Joseph Morse

Samuel Dunbar
Zachariah Howard

(ord. 1717;
d. 1732)
(ord. 1727;
(ord. 1786;

dism. 1727;

d.

d.

1783)
1806)

Ruling elder:

Deacon Joseph Hewins (e. 1720; office

abandoned by the
church in 1727 ; -,
Hewins dism. 1741)

Deacons : Joseph Hewins

Benjamin Blackman
Isaac Stearns
Joseph Tucker

Joseph Topliff
Silas Crane
Stephen Badlam
Joseph Heartwell
Elihu Crane

(e. 1718; elev. to ruling
elder 1720; dism. 174-1)
(e. 1718; d. 1?48)
(e. 1720; d. 1741)
(e. 1729; deposed 1742; depo-
sition voided 1743; dism.
from office 1743; d. 1745)
(e. 1729; d. 1750)
(e. 1742; ace. 1745; d. 1753)
(e. 1750; d. 1758)
(e. 1753-1754)
(e. 1753; ace. 1759; d. 1789)

1. Despite the church's abandonment of the ruling elder-
ship in 1727, Hewins retained the title. Cf. CANTON
FIRST, CR I, 37, under date of 1732: "This day was in-
terred Slder Hewins' s wife . • • ."

14-2

Elijah Dunbar (e. 1769; m. 1807
Lt. Benjamin Gill Ce. 1769; m. 1816
Benj amin Tucker (e. 1790; m. 1818

The records are owned and held by the church. Other
records reportedly stored with the local historical
society, could not be located by that organization.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1717-1830. 1

CR I COPY & II - "Records belonging to the Church of
Christ in Canton." Copy of CR I (1717-1830): records,
1830-1959.

Miscellaneous records: Pew Deeds, 1825-1896.

CAPE LANDS, Parish (see Rockport).

CARLISLE, First Religious Society (U).

p
The church was gathered on Feb. 28, 1781. The First

Religious Society was incorporated in 1832, after the

withdrawal of the orthodox members of the church.

Minister: Paul Litchfield (ord. 1781; d. 1827)

Ruling elders: none.

1. See Daniel T. V. Hunton, History of the Town of Canton ,
Norfolk County, Massachusetts CCambriJSe, 1893.), ot>. 508-

2. Sometimes 1758 is given as the date of the church's
gathering, but this is the year of the erection of the
meetinghouse.

145

Deacons: due to the sparsity of early records, very little
is known about the members of the diaconate. A John Hob-
bins is mentioned as a deacon-elect in 1781, and the same
man (or possibly another of the same name) spoken of as a
deacon in 1810 and again in 1819. One Ephraim Robbins is
mentioned as a deacon (possibly of another church) in
1781; he died in 1820. John Green and John Jacobs, men-
tioned as deacons in 1827 and the latter one of the
founders of the orthodox church, may well have been
elected after 1305. Green died in 1858, Jacobs in 1827.

The extant records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Carlisle. -,
Imbodied Feb? 28. 1781." 1781-1782, book badly mutilated.

PR I - "Book of Records For the first Parish in the town
of Carlisle." 1832-1844.

PR II - "Book of Record For the first Parish in the town
of Carlisle Second Volume." 1842-1870.

PR III - "Third Book of Records of the First Religious
Society in Carlisle." 1870-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Society Accounts, 1842-1882.

Mention should also be made of the Wilkins notebooks owned
and held by the town library. Mrs. Benson P. Wilkins in
1936 completed some twenty-five MS notebooks on the history
of the town, the fourth containing information concerning
the religious history of Carlisle. In 1943 Ruth C. Wilkins
added five MS notebooks entitled "History of The *irst
Religious Society The First Parish Church Carlisle, Mass.

1730-194-3."

1. Ruth C. Wilkins, 0£. cit . , Vol. XXVI, pp. 16, 20,
records the tradition that at the time of the separation of
the orthodox in 1323-1829, CR I was for a time retained by
that wing of the church. Forced by law to return the
records to the church of the parish, someone among the
orthodox t>arty first cut away all but the first twenty
farces of the book. Neither the Vilkinses nor town his-
torian Sidney A. Bull who published in 1920 indicate any
knowledge of the contents of the missing pages.

144

CAHV3R, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nay 13, 1733 as the South
Church in Plympton, the Proprietors of the Meeting House
having been incorporated in 1731. In 1790, the area (fre-
quently called "Lakenham") was set off as the town of
Carver, and the following year, the First Congregational
Parish in (North) Carver was organized. The church is
still sometimes designated the North Carver Calvinistic
Congregational Church.

A separation centering in the south part of the town
occurred in 1771, and may have contributed to the forma-
tion of a Baptist church there twenty years later.

Ministers: Othniel Campbell (ord. 1734- ; dism. 174-3;

rem. 1?46; d. 1778)

John Howland (ord. 1746; d. 1804- )

Rulinc elders and deacons: due to the lack of early
records, only partial information is available concerning
the church's lay officers. It appears unlikely that the
church ever employed ruling elders. The following deacons
are mentioned in the extant nrecinct records:

James Shaw
Joseph Lucas
Joseph 3ridgeham
Abel Crocker
Samuel Lucas
Saivenus Dunham
Thomas oavery
Isaac Shaw Lucas

(m. 174-1)

(nu 174-1: d. 174-2)

(nu 1743)

Cm. 1751-1752)

(.nu 1752-1786)

(m. 1753-177D?

(nu 1779-1799r

(nu 1805; d. 1308)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by
the church. Sunning records i'Qr the first two pastorates
were noted as missing in 1913.2

1. See C. C. Goen, Hevivalism and Separatism in New
Snpiand . 174-0 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1^6277 P- 3-L2.

2. Possibly the same Thomas Savery who in 1822 asked the
church to elect additional aeacons.

3. See Henry S. Griffith, History of the Town of Carver ,
Massachusetts . Historical Review, T537"To 1910~TNew
Bedford, 1913), p. iv. ~^ *—

1*5

VS I - "This Book belongs To The Second Chh. of Christ
in Plympton, May 1, 1766." Baptisms, 1760-1902; some
lacunae .

CR II - "This Book is given to the Congregational Chh- of
Christ, in Carver, by John Shaw, Pastor." 1805-1858.

CR III - "The Records of the Orthodox Congregational
Church In North Carver." 1864-1908.

CR I, II, III COPY, & IV - "Pilgrim Church Register."
Cooy of parts of VS I, CR II, CR III, and records, 1908-
1917.

PR I COPY - "The Precinct Book. The South of Plympton.
The Precinct Book for the Precinct in Carver, March the
Thirteenth 1792. Abiel Shurtlef f . " Precinct/parish
records, 1731-1830, 1831-1896. Typescript copy. Owned
and held by the Town Clerk.

CHAPPAQUIDDICK Indian Church (see Edgartown, Chappaquiddick
Indian Church).

CHARLEMONT, First (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1767, probably during September
In 1785, that part of the town on which the meetinghouse
stood was annexed to the newly created town of Heath, and
the church was disbanded.

1. A partial list of church members, 174-6-1913, is supplied
by Griffith, o£. cit . , pp. 307-315-

2. One tradition has it that the disbanding of the church,
and indeed the annexation of land to Heath, were parts of

a complicated plot to remove Rev, Leavitt from the minis-
try of the two towns. If true, this would explain the
somewhat unusual tactic of dissolving the church and
creating a new church in each of the towns.

146

Minister: Jonathan Leavitt

(inst. 1767; dism. 1785;
d. 1802)

Ruling elders and deacons: it was noted in 1889 that no
records of this church had survived, so that there is
almost no information extant regarding its lay officers.
The records of the present Charlemont First Church suggest
that Aaron Rice may have been a deacon of the extinct
church.

See William H. Leavitt, A Sketch of the Life and Character
of Rev. Jonathan Leavitt, the First Minister of Charlemont ,
FTass. (n.p., 190377"

CHARLEMONT, First, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on June 6, 1788. In 1823 i the
minister led a Unitarian separation, forming a church and
society which eventually disbanded in 1887. The orthodox
retained control of the original church and society, and
in recent years have federated with local Methodist and
Baptist groups.

Ministers :

Isaac Babbitt
Joseph Field

(ord. 1796; eta. 1798)
(ord. 1799; dism. and rem.
Unitarian church in 1823;
d. 1866)

to

Ruling elders: none
Deacons: Aaron Rice

Gersham Hawkes

(e. 1788; probably a deacon of
the extinct Charlemont church)
(e. 1788)

1. Manual of the First Congre national Church of Charle -
mont . Mass ." Adopted Jan . 3rd , 1889 (North Adams, Mass.,
1589).

2. CHARLSMONT FIRST FED, CR I.

14-7

Sbenezer Fales (e. 1796).
Abel Wilder (e. 1796 r

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1788-1828.

CR I COPY - Typescript copy.

CR II - "Congregational Church, Charlemont . " 1822-184-9.

CR I & II COPY, & III - "Records." Copy made in 1866 of
CR I and CR II; running records, 1866-present.

Miscellaneous records: Church Register, 184-7-1953;
Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1866-1909; records of the
extinct Unitarian "Independent Congregational Society,"
184-5-1892.

CHARLSSTOWN, First (see Boston, Chariest own, First).

CHARLTON, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on April 16, 1761, the parish
being organized three days later and receiving incorpora-
tion in 1784-. In 1798 the latter body was succeeded by
the duly-incorporated Proprietors of the New Congrega-
tional Centre Meeting House, which organization was in
turn replaced in 1826 by the First Calvinistic Congrega-
tional Society. The church itself was incorporated in 1872

1. Deacon Aaron Lyman of Belchertown was received into
membership at Charlemont in 1804. Although not elected to
the diaconate here until 1812, he probably served in that
capacity from the time of his admission.

146

A short-lived (1827-1831) Unitarian separation has led
some authorities to regard the original Charlton church
as extinct* however, the Unitarian contingent carried
neither the church nor the related prudential body with
them. The orthodox retained control of both, and in
recent years have federated with local Universalists.

Ministers: Caleb Curtiss (ord. 1761; dism. 1776;

d. 1802)
Archibald Campbell (inst. 1783; dism. 1793;

d. 1818)
Erastus Lamed (ord. 1796; dism. 1802;

d. 1824)
Bdward Whipple (ord. 1804; dism. 1821;

d. 1822)

Ruling elders:
Deacons :

none.

Nehemiah Stone
Jonas Hammond
Jonathan Dennis

Lt. Clement Cobum
Jonas Ward
Jonathan Pratt

(e. 1761; res. 1788)

(e. 1761; m. 1782)

(e. 1771; res. 1792 but
still acting in 1797)

(e. 1788; res. 1799)

(e. 1790)

(e. 1799)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "The Records of the Church in Charlton." 1761-1835

1. An incorrect citation appears first in Robert T. Swan,
"Tenth Report on the Custody and Condition of the Public
Records of Parishes, Towns, and Counties" (Public Document
No. 52), Public Documents of Massachusetts . . . for the
Year 1897 t Boston. 1898). TT, 40, and is repeated by
Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of Massachusetts (.Lancaster, Mass., 1936 J, p. 245

A corrective is provided by John Haven's MS "History
of the Cong. Chh. in Charlton" (1861) f owned and held by
the Congregational Library, Boston.

On the subject of separations, C. C. Goen, Revivalism
and Separatism in New England % 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and
London, 1962), p. 315, remarks a separation at Charlton
prior to 1762, but notes that it did not take on church
organization until becoming distinctively Baptist.

14-9

CR II - "Records of the SvaHgeiieal Congre gational Church
Charlton Mass." 1836-1889.

CR III - "Church Records." 1889-1903-

PROP I - Proprietors Records, 1797-1825-

3R I - Society Records, 1826-1856.

SR II - "Record Book of the Congregational Calvinistic
Society Charlton. " 1856-1897-

Miscellaneous records: Proprietors Treasurer's Accounts,
1797-1815; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1826-1841.

CHARLTON, Second Society (see Southbridge).

CHATHAM (C).

The church was gathered on June 15, 1720, and received in-
corporation in 1798. The First Parish was organised in
1824, abandoned in 1869 and replaced at that time Jy the
duly-incorporated Orthodox Congregational Society.
A Separate' movement in Chatham prior to 1749 did not take
on church organization until fully identified with the

1. Because he confused the church organization with that
of the tiarish, Robert T. Swan reported two successive
churches at Chatham. See his "Tenth Report on the custody
and Condition of the Public Records of Parishes, xowns,
and Counties (Public Document No. 52), Public Documents of
Ma ssachusetts . . . for the Year 1897 (Boston, 1898;, II,
40, 150.

150

Baptist tradition; until that time, the Separates worshipped
at Harwich,

(sett. 1718; inst. 1720;

d. 1748)

(inst. 17^9; d. 1782)

(ord. 1783; res. 1795;

d. 1836)

(ord. 1796; d. 1816)

Ministers: Joseph Lord

Stephen Emery
Thomas Roby

Ephraim Briggs

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of early
records, it is not known if Chatham employed ruling elders,
but it appears doubtful that it did. Smith, op_. cit • ,
p. 28, supplies the names of some early deacons:

Thomas Atkins
Samuel Taylor
Stephen Smith
Paul Crowell
Paul Crowell, Jr.
Nathan Bassett
John Hawes

(the church's first deacon)

(m. 1744 in Town Records)

1. C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962 J, p. "95-

2. Most authorities preface the list of ministers with
the names of five men who ministered at Chatham previous
to the church's gathering. Jonathan Vickery served here
from 1696-1699 until his death in 1702. Gershom Hall
ministered from 1703 until his removal in 1706; he died

in 1732. Neither Vickery nor Hall could be settled, since
they were not college-trained. John Latimer arrived in
170?, removed in 1709, and died in 1713. Matthew Short
served briefly in 1710; he died in 1731. Hugh Adams min-
istered from 1711 until his dismissal by the town in 1715,
and Hall again filled the vacancy until 1718.
See Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod (Boston,
1860-1862), 2 vols.; William C. Smith. Conf-regational
Church in Chatham 1720 - 1920 . Historical Address on the
Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Organization of the Church
TChatham, 1920X

151

The records antedating 1861 were destroyed by fire in that
year. Records since 1861 are owned and held by the
church.

OR I - "Records of the First Congregational Church,
Chatham, Massachusetts." Historical sketch of the years
1720-1861; running records, 1861-1955-

CHEBACCO

, Church and Precinct and Parish (see Essex).

CHELMSFORD, First Congregational Society (U).

The church was gathered on Nov. 15, 1655, its membership
largely consisting of the minister and laity who had for-
merly comprised apart (the majority ?) of the church at
Wenham.

Ministers: John Fiske

Thomas Clarke
Samson Stoddard
Ebenezer Bridge
Hezekiah Packard

Wilkes Allen

(ord. Wenham 1644; sett.
Chelmsford 1655; d. 1676/77)

ord. 1678-1679; d. 1704)

'ord. 1706; d. 1740}

'ord. 1741; d. 1792)
(ord. 1795; res. 1802;

d. 1849)

(ord. 1805; res. 1832;

d, 1845)

1. William H. Allison, Inventory of Unpublished Material
for American Religious History in Protestant gS»^ Ar-
chives and 6ther Repositories (Washington, D.C., WW»

H -^T Tiiti some documents relating to the cnurch as
held by the Congregational Library, Boston. The Library,
however, states that these documents disappeared many

years ago.

152

Ruling elders: the church apparently considered employing
ruling elders in 1660, but there is no record that such
were ever elected. See CHELMSFORD FIRST, CR I FISKE
pp. 59-60 (COPY, pp. 247-248).

Deacons: upon arrival at Chelmsford, the church was un-
decided as to whether or not two deacons elected proba-
tionally at Wenham still stood in that capacity in the
new church. These deacons, Reade and Kempe, elected in
1644 and 1655, respectively, appear to have resigned their
office preparatory to the move to Chelmsford; for several
years thereafter, their status was a matter of debate in
the church.

Ssdras Reade

3d ward Kempe

Isaac Lerned
Villi am Fletcher

Janes Parker

Thomas Henchman

Henry Farwell

Deacon Cornelius Waldo

Lt. Samuel Foster
Joseph Warren
Andrew Spaulding
3phraim Spaulding
Stephen fierce
Andrew Spuulding
Benjamin Adams
John Warren
ICbenezer Gould
Benjamin Parkhurst
Aaron Chamberlain

(e. Wenham 1644; res.
1655; rem. to Boston
1659; transferred mem-
bership 1661)
(e. Wenham 1655; res.
1655; ord. Chelmsford
1660)

(e. 1656; d. 1658,
unordained )
(e. 1656; refused to
make a new "relation"
at the gathering of the
Chelmsford church, and
so never ordained;
(e. and ord. 1660;
rem. ca. 1661)

e. 1S50; d. 1705)

e. 1660; d.

transferred

1670)

from Ipswich

1700/01)

1702)

1668; d.
1691; d.
1700)

1705; d. 1707)
1745; d. 1791)
post-1741; d. 1749)
post-1741; d. 1753)
1747 ?; d. 1762
1749; rem. 1764
1764; d. 1316
1771 ; d. 1S12
(e. 1771 ; m. 1796

1. Sometimes given as "Hinchman" or "Hincksman. "

155

John Farmer (ra.
Josiah Parkhurst (e.
Owen Emerson (e.

1602-1804)
1803: d. 1818)
1805)

The records are owned and held by three different parties,
as noted below- There are lacunae in the church records
for the years 1675-1741 anc 1780-1793- Some excerpts from
the Fiske and later church records are contained in Wilson
Waters, History of Chelmsford , Massachusetts (Lowell, 1917).
Except for the two items noted, there are no society records
antedating 1901.

CR I FISKE - "John Flak's note-book." Minister's record
of churcn affairs: Salem, 1637-1640; Wennam, 1644-1655;
Chelmsford, 1655-1675- Owned and held by the Essex In-
stitute, Salem.

CR I FISKE COPY - "Rev. John Fiske ' s note-book 1637-1675- "
Typescript copy, largely dependent on earlier transcriptions
made by Pulsifer and Greene. Owned and held by the Essex
Institute .

CR I FISKE PUB - Samuel A. Green (ed.), "Remarks by
Samuel A. Green, in communicating some extracts from a
Note-3ook of Rev. John Fiske," KHSP, 2nd Ser. ? XII (1897-
1899), 317-338. Offprinted (Cambridge, 189*0 as "Extracts
from the Note-Book of the Rev. John Fiske, 1637-1675.
With an introduction by Samuel A. Green."

CR II - "A Book of tne Records of the Church of Christ in
Chelmsford. 1741." 1741-1780. Owned and held by the Town
Clerk.

CR III - "The Records of the Churcn in Chelmsford - begun
1793 October 22." 1793-1805. Owned and held by the Town
Clerk.

CR IV - "Church Records of Chelmsford. Begun Jan. 1st
1804." 1804-1832, with vital statistics to 183b. Owned and
held by the Town Clerk.

CR V - "Records of the

ford under y e pastoral

first Church of Christ
charge of Rev. V/illiam

in Chelms-
Andrews
Began 31st day of March. 183b. & Continued by Revd John
Lewis Russell." 1856-1872, with vital statistics termi-
nating in 1341. Owned and held by the Town Clerk.

Miscellaneous records: Society Registers, overlapping,
1678-1959, 1884-1939 (owned and held by the church).

15*

CHELMSFORD, Separate (C), extinct.

C. C. Goen. Revivalism and Separatism in New England,
17*0 - 1800 (New Haven andTondon, 1962), pp. 205, 313,
holds that prior to 17*3, some Chelmsford Separates wor-
shipped at Concord, and that from 17*3 to about 1758,
they comprised a Separate church at Chelmsford under the
ministry of Samuel Hyde. By 1772, the surviving Separates
had all returned to the parish church. However, no trace
of such a church has been found at Chelmsford, and it may
be that persons so-minded simply enjoyed Hyde's evangelism
without ever proceeding to church organization.
See also Mary L. and Winifred L. Holman, "Reverend Samuel
Hide and Some of His Descendents," NjHGR , XCVI (19*2).
214-231.

CHEWISFORD (see Uenham).

CHELMSFORD, Second Church (see Westford).

CHELMSFORD, West Precinct and West Church (see Westford)

CHELSEA, First Church (see Revere).

155

CHELSEA, Rumney Marsh Church (see Revere)

CHESTER, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 20, 1769 as the Church in
Murrayfield. In 1783, the area was incorporated as the
town of Chester, and the church changed its name accord-
ingly.

Minister: Aaron Bascom (ord. 1769; d. 1814)

Ruling elders and deacons: in the years antedating 1805,
the church was structured along presbyterian lines. Many
of the ruling elders functioned as deacons simultaneously,
and the names of these dual officers are starred (*) in
the following list.

Samuel Matthews*
John Kirtland
William Miller
James Hamilton*
Edward Wright
Jesse Johnson*
Stephen layman
John Parmenter*
John Elder*

(e. 1769; d. 1811)

e. 1769)

e. 1769)

e. 1771; d. 1806)

(e. 1771)

(e. 1773)

Cm. 1784-1805)

(e. 1795)

e. 1795; d. 1810)

Gideon Matthews, Jr.* (e. 1795; m. 1805)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records (loosely bound in folder), 1769-1808.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1803-1852.

CR III - "Records of the First Church in Chester, 1852."
1852-present.

1.

Erroneously listed by Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial

Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster,
Mass/, T9?677"P- 24-5, as an extinct cnurch.

156

SR I - Society Records, 1811-1885

CHESTER, Church (see Becket).

CHESTERFIELD (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 30, 1764.

Ministers: Benjamin Mills (ord. 1764; dism. 1774;

d. 1785)
Josiah Kilburn Cord. 1780; d. 1731)

Timothy Allen (inst. 1785; dism. 1796;

d. 1806)

(ord. 1796; dism. 1831;
d. 1851)

Isaiah Waters

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Col. Ezra May

Brig. Gen. Benjamin Tupper

Benjamin Pierce
Thomas Halbert

Nathaniel Colman

Spencer Phelps
John Russell

Ce. 1765; d. 1778)

(e. 1765; rem. 1788;

d. 1792)

(e. 1781; d. 1809)

(e. 1781; rem. 1791;

d. 1822)

(e. 1792; res. and

rem. 1797)

(e. 1795; d. 1829)

(e. 1795; res. and

rem. 1801)

The records are owned by the church and deposited in the
local library.

CR I - "Church Records: Chesterfield." 1764-1835.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Chester-
field." 1835-1912.

157

3R I - Society Records, 1828-1844.

PR II - "Parish Record in Chesterfield. 1846." 1845-1866

PR III - Parish Records, 1870-1932.

CH3STER3T3LD G0R3 (see Goshen).

CHESTNUT HILL Church (see Blackstone)

CHICOPEE, First (C).

The Chicopee area was organized as the Fifth or North
Parish in Springfield in 1750* By Sept. 27, 1752, when
the church was gathered, parish lines had been redrawn so
that the parish was then known as the Second Parish in
Springfield. In 1848 the parish was incorporated as the
town of Chicopee, the church becoming the First. The
First Congregational Society was organized in 1850, and
incorporated in 1873-

Minister: John McKinstry, Jr. (ord. 1752; d. 1813)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Benjamin Chapin
David Chapin
Samuel Cooper
iSdward Chapin

(e. 1752; d. 1756)
(e. 1752; d. 1772)

(e. 1775; d. 1800)

158

After having been lost for a quarter-century, some (per-
haps all) of the records have been located at the public
library in Springfield. Church officers are currently
negotiating for the return of these documents to the
church. Not yet located, but thought to be at the library
are the first two or three volumes of church records,
1752-1839, 1839-1905 . Already returned to the church are:

PR I - Parish Records, 1751-1850/1885.

PR I DUP - Parish Records, 1751-1757. Implicate record.

See also Orange Chapin, The Chapin Genealogy * containing
a very large proportion of the bescendents of Pea. Samuel
ghapin (Northampton, 18627, pp. 2J7ff • ; Clara ?7~Palmer,
The Annals of Chicopee Street (Springfield, 1899); One
Hundred Fiftieth Anniversary First Congregational Church ,
Chicopee , Massachusetts . September 28 and 29, 19^2
(Canaan"~Four Corners, IT . Y . , ±903).

CHUiMARK, Nashuakemmuck Indian Church (C), extinct.

Located some six miles from Edgar town, Nashuakemmuck was
the site of a praying town by 1651, and its church was
gathered in 1674. It became extinct some time after 1784.
During its phase as a praying town, the community was
ministered to by Thomas May hew- Sr. , and the Indian
preachers Momonequem (ca. 165l5, Panupuhquah (d. 1664),
and John Tackanash (ord. teacher of Oak Bluffs 1 Sanchacan-
tacket Indian Church 1670; d. 1684).

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
30UHNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church, especially the 1670
report of John Cotton, Jr., the 1698 Rawson-Danforth
report, and Che studies of the New England Company by V/eis
and by Kellaway.

Ministers:

John Mayhew (sett. West Tisbury 1673, associ-
ated with six Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1688/39)

Janawannit (Indian preacher; d. 1636)

159

japeth (Pamc)hannit

William Lay
(Panunnut)

Stephen Tackamason

Experience May hew

Josiah Torrey

Abel

Nathaniel Hancock

Sachariah Kayhew

(Indian preacher, sett. Gay
Head Indian Congregational
Church 1693; also served
here and Oak Bluffs LSan-
chacantacket] ; d. 1712)
(Indian preacher, younger
brother of Panuouhauah;
d. 1690)

(Indian preacher here and
Chilmark [SeconchgutJ ; from
1702 also served Gay Head
Indian Baptist Church;
d. 1703)

(Indian mission on tne Vine-
yard 1692-d. 1758; associated
with nine Indian praying
towns and churches)
(ord. West Tisbury 1704,
associated with four Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1723)

(Indian ruling elder; elected
preacher 1712 in succession
to Japeth (Pamc)hannit ;
d. 1715)

(ord. West Tisbury 1727,
associated with three Indian
prayinr towns and churcnes;
dism. 1756; d. 1774)
(ord. Chilmark 1767, asso-
ciated with six Indian pray-
ing towns and churches;
d. 1806)

Puling elder: Abel

(Indian ruling elder e.
elev. to preacher 1712;

ca. 1698^
d. 1713)*

1. Sometimes given as "Japeth Kannit, Jr."

2. Reported in 1698 as preaching "to a part of the church,
living at too great a distance ordinarily to attend Japet's
ministry; although they come together to attend churcn ad-
ministrations." "Account of an Indian visitation," i .HSC ,
1st Ser. , X (1809, rep. 1857) 1 129-134.

160

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

CHILMAKK, Seconchgut Praying Town (and Indian Church ?)
(C), extinct.

Whether or not a church was gathered in this praying town
is uncertain, although the Rawson-Danforth report of 1698
would seem so to indicate. The period of greatest activity
seems to have been from 1698 to 1718.
See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers:

Janawannit
Stephen Tackamason

Stephen Shohkow

Daniel Shohkow

Sliab Coshomon

(Indian preacher, d. 1686)
(Indian preacher here and
Chilmark [Nashuakemmuck]
1690; from 1702 also served
Gay Head Indian Baptist
Church; d. 1708)
(Indian preacher, also
served West Tisbury
[Christiantown] ; d. 1713)
(Indian preacher, also
served Gay Head Indian
Congregational Church and
praying towns on the
Elisabeth Islands; d. 1718)
(Indian preacher, in. 1724)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

LSI

CHILMARK (C), extinct.

The church was probably gathered in 1715 » although some
authorities claim the year to have been 1700. By 1377,
it had become largely inactive, and was legally dissolved

by 1893-

During the years prior to its (probable) gathering, the
church's constituency was ministered to by John Mayhew
(sett. West Tisbury 1673; d. 1639) and Ralph Thacher
(sett. 1697 Cord. ?j; rem. 1?14).

Ministers: William Homes

Andrew Boardman
Timothy Puller

Jonathan Smith

Ruling elders: none known.

(ord. abroad as Presbyterian

1692; ord. Chilmark 1715;

d. 1746)

(ord. 1746; d. 1776)

(sett. 1776-1778; rem. 1782;

d. 1805)

(ord. 1738; dism. 1327;

d. 1829)

Deacons; information is fragmentary, but the following
names are known:

James Skiffe
Simon Mayhew
Timothy Mayhew
James Allen
Nathan Mayhew
Reuben Tilton

m.

1719)

d.

1753)

d.

1731)

m.

1788;

d.

e.

1788;

d.

m.

1791;

d.

1815)
179D
ca. 1810)

The church records antedating 1787, except for such items
as are contained in the Diary of Rev. 'william Homes, have
long been lost. The Diary is owned and held by the Maine
Historical Society, Portland, Me. Records for the years
1787-1877 have disappeared since 1905-

C MISC - Charles 2. Banks, "Diary of Rev. William Homes
of Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard, 1689-1746," N3HGR. £LVIII
(1894), 4A6-453, L (1895), 155-156. Marriages, death, and
some church acts, 1715-1746.

CR - KISSING, Church Records, 1787-1320 (or 1877).

CR PUB - William J. Rotch, "Records of the Congregational

Church of Chilmark, Mass., 1787-1320," NSBGR. LIX (1905),

195-202, 257-264, 378-384. Vital statistics, and a lew
church acts.

162

See also Charles 2. Banks ' typescript volumes entitled
"Documents Relating to Martha's Vineyard," owned and held
by the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, and by
the same author, The History of Martha ' s Vineyard » Dukes
County , Massachusetts, in Three Volumes^ Boston. 1911 ;
Edgartown, 1925 J.

CHOCKSETT Church (see Sterling, First).

CHRISTIANTOWN (Manitouwattootan) (or Ohkonkemme) Praying
Town and Indian Church (see West Tisbury, Christiantown
Praying Town and Indian Church).

CLAPBOARD TRESS Parish (see Westwood).

C0HASS2T, First Parish Church (U).

The church was gathered as the Church of the Second Parish
in Hingham on Dec. 12, 1721, the parish having been
organized some nine months earlier. In 1770, the area was
made the town of Cohasset, and church and parish took the
title of First Church and Parish.

163

Ministers: Nehemiah Hobart
John Fowle

John Brown
Josiah Shaw

Jacob Flint

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : John Jacob

Joseph Bates
Lazarus Beal
Jonathan Beal
Isaac Lincoln III
Amos Joy
Abel Kent
Thomas Brown
Isaac Burr
Job Cushing
Uriah Lincoln

Cord. 1721; d. 1740)

(ord. 17^1; dism. 1746;

d. 1764)

Cord. 1747; d. 1791)

Cord. 1792; dism. 1796;

d. 1847)

Cord. 1798; d. 1835)

e. 1721/22: res. 1749)

e. 1726/27)

e. 1737; res. 1756)

(e. 1749)

(e. 1754)

e. 1756; res. 1781)

e. 1777; d. 1826)

e. 1777, may have refused)

e. 1781; d. 1787)

e. 1787; res. 1793)

e. 1793; d. 1826)

The records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - Church Records, 1721-1742. - 1

CR II - Church Records, 1741-1792.

CR III - "Church Records." 1792-1820.

CR IV - "Rev. Jacob Flint, His Book." 1820-1835-

CR I, II, III, IV COPY - "Copies of the Minister's Books
of Records." Fairly complete but disorderly copy of
church records, 1721-1835*

CR V - "Parish [ sic ] Records, Ho. 1." Church records,
1835-1898.

CR V DUP - "Minister's Book of Records." Partial dupli-
cate of CR V, 1S42-1894.

PR I - "First Parish Church in Cohasset, Parish Clerk's
Book No. 1 - 1825-97 incl." 1825-1897.

1. See HINGHAH, First Parish, VS 1(10) for Nehemiah
Hobart's records, included in that volume, 1721-1747.

164

PR II - "Ditto No. 2 - 1898-19*2." Parish records, 1898-
19*2.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1825-
191*; Pew Tax Accounts, 1899-

COLD oil^ING, Church (see Belchertown).

COliHAIN (C).

The church was gathered under Presbyterian auspices late
in 1750* when the Boston Presbytery authorized a Pelham
minister to ordain elders at Colrain. Between 1780 and
1795> there were several Baptist separations from the
church. On Dec. 9* 1819* the church voted to adopt Congre-
gational principles.

Ministers: Alexander McDowell

Daniel

Samuel

McClellen

Taggart

(ord. 1753; dism. 1761;
d. 1761-1762)
(ord. 1769; d. 1773)
(sett. 1777; dism. 1818
1819; d. 1825)

Ruling elders and deacons: because of the lack of records,
only a few names are known, all of them deacons.

Hugh Riddle
Thomas Morris
Alexander Harroun
Moses Johnson
John Hulbert

(m. 1772)

(m. 1772)

(m. 1785)

(m. 1795)

(o. 1803)

Virtually all records have been destroyed by fire, the
one exception bein;: owned and held by the church.

SR/CR - "Records: Cong. Society, Colerain." Society and
church records, 1666-194-1.

165

See also Karlton C. Johnson et al. , The Venerahle House »
1750 - 1950 : The Story of the^on^re national Church ,
wolrain, Nassachusetts ~TSprin£f ield, 1950)% and Colrain
Bicentennial , 1761 - 1961 , AuKust £ and 6, 1961 (nTpTJ I'jGl)

COKASS/iKuTIKAlTET Indian Church (see Bourne, Herring ?ond(s)
Indian Church).

CONCORD, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on July 5, 1656, the parish having
been organized the previous year. The Trustees of the
Congregational Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1813,
and the parish reorganized in 1826.

A separation in 17*5 led to the founding of Concord's
Second or West Church, the surviving members of which were
absorbed by the church of the town by 1765-

I'linisters:

Peter Bulkeley
John Jones

Sdward Bulkeley
Joseph Estabrook

John Uniting

Daniel Bliss
William Emerson
^zra Ripley

Cord, teacher 1657; d. 1659)

(ord. pastor 1657; rem. 164-4;

d. 1665)

(sett. 1659; d. 169*)

(ord. 1667; d. 1711)

(ord. 1712; dism. 1757;

served Concord's Second

Church from 17*5; d. 1752)

Cord. 1759; d. 176*)

Cord. 1766; d. 1776)

(ord. 177S; d. 18*1)

Ruling elders : none

Deacons: nothing is

when the extant records begin.

known of lay personnel prior to 1739,

Joseph Dakin
Sanuel Herri am

(m. 1739; d. 17**)
Cm, 1739; d. 1766)

166

Samuel Miles

Samuel Heywood

Sphraim Brown,
Samuel Minot
Amos He aid
Thomas Barrett
Simon Hunt
David Wheeler
George Minot
John White
William Parkman
Joseph Chandler

Cm. 1739;
Second or
17^5; m.

0*. 1739;
Jr. (e. 1744-;
e. 1744;

|e. 1751;
,e. 1766;
e. 1766;
e. 1766;
>. 1779;
,e. 1784;
,e. 1788;
,e. 1791;

separated to

West Church

1746)

d.

1750)

d.

1788)

m.

1765)

m.

1762)

d.

1779)

d.

1791)

d.

1784)

d.

1808)

res. 1827)

res. 1826)

res. 1811)

the

in

There are no records antedating 1759. Unless otherwise
noted, the extant records are owned by the church and
parish, and deposited in a local bank.

CR I - "A Book of Records for The Chh of Concord 1739."
1739-1357.

CR I COPY - "Concord Church Records 1739 to 1857." HS
copy made in 1891. Owned and held by the Concord Free
Library.

CR II - "Records First Church in Concord Ms." 1858-1899,
with vital statistics to the present. Held by the church.

Miscellaneous church records: Church Treasurer's
(Deacon's) Accounts, 1789-1920; "Record of Funds belonging
to the Church in Concord," 1793-1867; Singing Fund Ac-
counts, 1814-1925.

PR I - "Volume 1. Records of the First Parish in Concord.
1855-1894. The records before 1855 were kept by the Town
Clerk with the Town records."

PR II - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Par-
ish in Concord, Mass. Book number 2.") 1894-1953-

1. 3esides parish records, this volume contains records
of the society, 1867-1901. The latter body, still in
existence, is comprised of persons related to the church
although not church or parish members.

167

CONCORD, Second (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Dec, 12, 174-5 by persons dis-
satisfied with the New Light activities of Rev. Daniel
31iss of the First Church and Parish. Styling themselves
the Second or West Church, these Old Light Separates came
also to be known as "The Black Horse Church" by reason of
their being forced to meet in the tavern of that name, all
oublic buildings being closed to them. With the death of
their minister, the members were gradually reabsorbed into
the older church, a process completed about 1765-

Minister: John Whiting (ord. Concord First Church 1712;

dism. 1757; served Concord Second
from 174-5; d. 1752)

Ruling elders and deacons: in the absence of any records,
the only name that has survived is that of Samuel Miles
who resigned his deaconship at Concord First Church in
17^-5 to join the Separates.

CONCORD, Black Horse [Tavern] Church (see Concord, Second
Church).

CONCORD, West Church (see Concord, Second Church).

1. C.

C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New Airland,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962;, pp. 112-113, mis-
reads the ambiguous account given in Emil Oberholzer, Jr.
De linquent Saints (New York, 1956), pp. 107-103, and so
reports erroneously that no Separate church was formed at
Concord.

168

CONCORD. Lexington and Weston* Second Precinct (see
Lincoln).

CONWAY, United (C).

The church was gathered on July 4, 1768, and the First
Congregational Society organized in 1833. The union with
local Methodist and Baptist bodies dates from 1919, at
which time the church was incorporated.

Minister: John Kmerson (ord. 1769; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: listing based on published sources, due to lack
of early records.

Joel Dickinson
Ebenezer Allis
Samuel Wells
Joel Baker
Caleb Allen
John Avery
Jonathan Root
William Billings, Jr.

e. 1770)

e. 1770)

e. 1773)

e. 1773; d. 1817)

e. 1777)

e. 1777)

v m. 1787; d. 1808)

(e. 1796)

Also reported to have served as deacons are William
Billings (d. 1812), Slisha Billings (d. 1825) and
Nathaniel Norton.

There are no records antedating 1821. The extant records
are owned by the church and deposited in the local public
library.

CR I - "Records of The Congregational Church in Conway,
Commencing with the Settlement of the Rev, Edward Hitch-
cock, June 21st, 1821." 1821-1341.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Conway,
Commencing with the Settlement of Rev. M. G. Wheeler,
June 19, 183^." 1854-1915.

169

C REG I, II, III, IV - Church Registers, 1851-1860, 1862-
1870, 1869-194-5, 1881-1886.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1333-
1863, 187S-1920.

See also The Confession of Faith , and Covenant of the Con -
CTesational Church in Conway , Mass . , with a Catalogue of
Survivin£" " Hembers , July 1840 (Northampton, 1840); Celebra -
tion of "the HuncTredth Anniversary of the Incorporation of
Conway Massachusetts , At Conway , June 19th , 18^7
(Northampton , ibb'/ ) ; tEe church Manuals (Springfield,
1870; Shelburae Falls, Mass., 1915); and Charles S. Pease,
History of Conway ( Massachusetts ), 1767 - 1917 (Springfield,

1917).

COTUHTIKUT (or Kehtehticut) Indian Church (see Middleboro,
Titicut Indian Church).

CUMMINGTON, First (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on July 7, 1779. Its Society was
dissolved in 1834, and the church itself became extinct

in 1869.

Minister: James Briggs (ord. 1779; d. 1825)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Ebenezer Snell

Barnabas Packard
James Bradish
A.bel Packard, Jr.
Benoni Pratt

(e. 1779)

(e. 1779;

(m. 1780)

(e. 1798)

(e. 1798)

m. 1794)

i?o

The records are held by the local library.

OR I - "Church Record of the First Congregational Society
in Cummington. 1779-1834." 1779-1780, 1790, 1792, 1825-
1827, 1837-1868.

SR I - "Church [ sic ] and Town Records, 1834-1857."
Society records, rates, accounts.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1834.

See also Jacob Porter, "Some Accounts of Cummington, in
Hampshire County, Massachusetts," MHSC , 2nd Ser. , X (1823,
rep. 1843), 41-45, and Almon Dyer 1 FIB history of the
church (1929) owned and held by the local library.

DALTON (C).

The church was gathered on Feb. 16, 1785, the town having
been organized the preceding year in the area known as
Ashuelot or Ashuelot Equivalent.

Ministers: James Thompson (ord. 1795; dism. 1799)
Ebenezer Jennings (ord. 1802; dism. 1834;

d. 1859)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon William Williams (Hatfield deacon; e.

here 1785; d. 1807-1808)
Josiah Lawrence II (e. 1785; d. ca. 1802)
Deacon John Partridge (deacon elsewhere; e.

here ca. 1795; rem.
1804; returned 1807 and
served as deacon until
rem. 1818)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at
Crane &. Co., Dalton.

CR I - "Church Records, Commencing 1785." 1785-1856.

171

CH I COPY - Rollin H. Cooke and George S. Frink, "Dalton,
Mass. Records of the Congregational Church." Copy made
in 1904- , owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke
Collection), Pittsfield.

CH II - MISSING, Church Records, 1856-1908.

PR I - "Parish Records." 1807/1828-1886.

Miscellaneous records: Church Register of baptisms,
1892-1900; admissions, 1827-1910.

DANE STRE2T Church and Society (see Beverly).

DA1CV3RS, First (C).

The church was gathered on-. Nov. 19, 1689 as the Church at
Salem Village (The Farms). The First Parish in Salem
Village had been incorporated in 1672. When the area be-
came the town of Danvers in 1752, the title of the church
was accordingly changed, and the parish became known as
the First or ITorth Parish in Danvers. In 1858 the First
Religious Society was incorporated; the church itself was
incorporated in 1890 and again in 1932.

The church had a proto-existence from 1671, being minis-
tered to by James Bailey (ord. 1671; rem. 1680; d. 1707; t
George Burroughs (ord. 1680; rem. 1683; resett. Io90;
d. 1692), and Deodat Lawson (sett. 1683; recu 1688; d.
post 1698), all of whom were actually "stated supplies.

1. The fact of Bailey and Burrough 1 ordinations has led
some authorities wrongly to believe that the church was
gathered in 1671-1672. See Frederick L. v/eis. The Colo-
nial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New aiftland
U^caTtif: Ma¥s7Tl^6), pp.-25=25T*7, T24,-2&r

172

Ministers:

Samuel Parris
George Burroughs

Joseph Green

Peter Clark

Benjamin Wadsworth, D.D

(ord. 1689; res.
1696; d. 1719/20)
(resett. 1690;
d. 1692, executed
for witchcraft)
(ord. 1698; d. 1715)
(ordo 1717; d. 1768)
(ord. 1772; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons: prior to the gathering of the church, as early
as 1679 the town annually "supplied the place of Deacons"
with men who were charged to manage religious prudential
concerns, another indication that the community did not
regard the church as properly gathered until 1689. The
names of these town-elected "deacons" were Thomas Putnam
and Jonathan Walcott (e„ 1680, 1681, 1682); Putnam and
Nathaniel Ingersoll (e. 1684/35); Ingersoll and Walcott
(e e 1687). See "A Book of Records of the Severall Publique
Transa[c]tions of the Inhabitants of Sale[m] Village
Vulgarly Called The FarmeCsJ," DHSHC, XIII (1925), 91-122.

Nathaniel Ingersoll (e.

Edward Putnam (e.

Benjamin Putnam (e.

Eleazar Putnam (e.

Nathaniel Putnam (e.

Joseph Whipple (e.

Cornelius Tarbell (e.

Archelaus Putnam (e.

Samuel Putnam, Jr. (e.

Asa Putnam (e.

Sdmund Putnam (e«

Gideon Putnam (e.

Daniel Putnam (e.

Josenh Putnam (e.

1690; d.

1690; d.

1709; d.
1717/18 ;

1731; d.

1733; d.

1741; d.

1756; d.

1757; rem

1762; d.

1762; d.

1785; d.

1795; d.

1802; d.

1719)

17*75

171^)

d. 1732-1733)

175*)

1740)

1765)
1759)
. 1762)

1795)
1810)

1810-1811)
1801)

1818)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records First Church Danvers 1689-1845." Running
records as dated. Vital statistics: births to 1698; bap-
tisms to 1845; owners of covenant to 1815; admissions to
1845; marriages to 1712; deaths to 1703.

1. Extracts from the church
published by Joseph B. Felt,
Ser., Ill (1833), 169-180.

records, 1691/92-1694, were

"Salem Witchcraft," MHSC, 3rd

173

CR I PUB - William T. Harris, "Danvers Church Records."
NEHQR j XI (1857), 131-135, 316-325, XII (1858), 245-248,
XIII (1859), 55-56. Largely epitomizations of church acts,
1689-1753.

VS I - Henry Wheatland, "Baptisms at Church in Salem
Village, now North Parish, Danvers," EEC, XVI (1879),
235-240, 302-318, XVIII (1881), 34-487~I2l-128. 1689-1772.

VS II - Samuel P. Fowler, "Rev. Samuel Parris's Record of
Deaths at Salem Village during His Ministry," NBHGR , XXXVI
(1882), 187-189.

VS III - "Danvers Church Records," DHSHC , XII (1924), 127-
128. Admissions, 1690-1797; dismissions, 1683-1758.

CR II - "Records of The First Church Danvers From 1845,
to ." 1845-1908.

PR I - "Book of Records." (Flyleaf: "A Book of Records
Of the Severall Publique Transactions of the Inhabitants
of Salem Village Vulgarly called^ the Farmes. Beginning
at the time when the first [ torn ] the Ministry amongst
them "by order from [ torn ] Generall Court October the 8th
Anno Domini [ torn ] . "7^671/72-1735.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1735-1766.

PR III - "The Third Book of Records Relating the Severall
Publick Transactions of the Inhabitants of the First Par-
rish of Danvers: formerly called, Salem Village." 1766-
1780.

PR IV - "Danvers North Parish Feb? 23 1781." 1780-1797.

PR V - "Parish Book." 1797-1815.

PR VI - MISSING, Parish Records, 1815-1838.

SR VII - Society Records, 1838-1932.

Miscellaneous records :
1912; Parish Assessors'

Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1874-
Rate Books, 1839, 1847-1853, 1856-

1863; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1737-1813, 1306-1358,
1813-1853, 1890-1892, 1892-1905, 1891-1900; Parish Com-
mittee Records (largely orders and abatements), 1724/25-
1798, 1767-1803, 1768-1804, 1804-1823; Building Committee

174

Records, 1785-1788; Subscription Books, 1833-1840, 1834-
1839; Repair Accounts, 1888-1890; Pew Rent Accounts, 1889-
1911.

See also Samuel P. Fowler, "Biographical Sketch and Diary
of Rev. Joseph Green, of Salem Village," 3IHC, VII (1866),
91-96, 165-174, 215-224, x (1870), 73-1047T2&VI (1900),
325-330; and Samuel 3. horison (ed.), "The Commonplace
Book of Joseph Green," CSMP , 3COCIV (1937-1942), 191-253.

DAKVERS, North Parish (see Danvers, First).

DAKVERS, Second (Parish) Church (see Peabody, South).

DAiTVSRS, South Church and Precinct and Parish (see
Peabody, South).

DARTMOUTH , Nekkehkumaees Indian Church (C), extinct.

Nekkehkummees was the site of a praying town ca. 1669, and
its church was gathered ca. 1690. It appears to have be-
come extinct ca. 1750.

During its phase as a praying town, the community was
ministered to by John Cotton, Jr., missionary to the

175

Vineyard Indians who was ordained pastor of Plymouth's
First Church in 1669 , and the Indian preacher Japeth
Hannit, Sr. (1670-cta. 1695).

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: William Simon(s)

Samuel Hunt

Samuel Holms
Thomas Simons

(Indian preacher, ord. on
the Vineyard 1695; frequent
companion of Experience
Mayhew on his missionary
journeys; eta. 1718)

(appointed minister to Dart-
mouth 1708, associated with
two Indian praying towns and
churches; d. 1729/30)
(Indian preacher, 1711-
cta. 1718)
(Indian preacher, m. as ac-

tive m
1770)

this vicinity ca.

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

DARTMOUTH, Second Precinct/Parish, and Church (see New
Bedford).

SSDBAH, First Church and Parish (U).

Allin Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 8, 1658; its First Parish
was organized during the early years of the eighteenth
century. Following the resignation of the incumbent min-
ister in 1818, there ensued the historic decision between

176

church and parish over the choice of a successor. An
orthodox minority of the parish (but a majority of the
church membership), protesting the selection of a liberal
candidate by the parish majority, withdrew. These ortho-
dox, rebuffed in their attempt to win title to the meeting-
house and church properties by the Dedham Decision of 1820,
organized their own society and the Allin Church, and still
cl aim descent from the 1638 body. The parish majority
(with the liberal minority of the church) continued, and
is still known as the First Church and Parish.

Ministers :

John Allin
William Adams
Joseph Belcher

Samuel Dexter
Jason Haven
Joshua Bates, D.D.

(ord. 1639;
Cord. 1673;
(ord. 1693;
d. 1723)

ord. 1724;

ord. 1756;

ord. 1803;
d. 185*0

d. 1671)
d. 1685)
eta. 1721;

d. 1755)
d. 1803)
dism. 1818

Ruling elder: John Hunting (e. 1639; d. 1688)

Deacons : Henry Chickering
Nathan Aldis
John Aldis
Thomas Hetcalf
William Avery
Joseph Wight
Jonathan Met calf
Joseph Fairbanks
John" Hetcalf
Joseph Wight
Jonathan Onion
Ephraim Willson
Richard Sverett
Nathaniel Kingsbury
William Avery
2Jbenezer Richards

Aaron Fuller

Samuel Damon

Joseph Whiting

Isaac Bullard

Car>t. Jonathan Richards

(e. 1650;
(e. 1650;
Cm. 1673;
(d. 1702)
(d. 1708)
(d. 1729)
(d. 1731 ?
(d. 1734)

e. 1727;

e. 1727;

,d. 1758)

e. 1735;

e. 1735;

e. 17^6;

e. 1756;

e. 1769;
d. 1799)
(e. 1776;
re-e. 1793
(e. 1776;
(e. 1777;
(e. 1780;
(e. 1804;

d. 1671)
d. 1676)
d. 1700)

)

d. 1749)
d. 1756)

d. 1769)
d. 1746)

d. 1775)
d. 1796)
res. 1793;

res. 1777;
; d. 1816)
res. 1777)
d. 1806
d. 1808
res. 1819)

The records are owned by the Unitarian body, and deposited
at the Dedham Historical Society.

177

CE I - "Dedham First Church.
1671.

Records. Vol. I." 1638-

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1671-1724.

CR III - "Dedham First Church. Records. Vol. II." 1?24-
1791.

CR IV - "This book of Church Records begins Janry 1st,
1792." 1792-1803.

CR V - "Records of the First Church in Dedham." 1803-1821.

CR V DUP - "Church Records." 1803-1806, discarded after
votes were copied into CR V.

CR VI - "Records of the First Church in Dedham."
1861.

1818-

CR PUB I-VI - Don G. Hill (ed.), The Record of Baptisms ,
Marriages and Deaths, and Admissions to the Church and
DismissaTs Therefrom, Transcribed from the Church Records
in the Town of Dedham , Massachusetts . 1558 - 1845 7 ("Ded-
namTTstoricaT Record Series," Vol. II)"TDednam7 1888).
Hill publishes all of CR I; Cr II was missing long before
he undertook his work. From CR III, IV, V, and VI, he
publishes only vital statistics (to 1845).

CR VII - Church Records, 1861-1908.

PR I - "The Book of Records for the First Precinct in
Dedham." 1731-1763.

PR II - "Records of the First Parish in Dedham, New Eng-
land." 1763-1807-

PR III - Parish Records, 1807-1839-

PR IV - "Records of the First Parish in Dedham, commencing
A.D. 1840." 1840-1903.

Miscellaneous records: Deacon's Accounts, 1767-1830; Par-
ish Treasurer's Accounts, 1674-1769 (with earlier memoranda),
1761-1808, 1866-1904; Pew Rate Book, 1853.

See also F. M. Caulkins, "Memoir of the Rev. Williams, of
Dedham, Mass., and of the Rev. Eliphalet Adams, of New
London, Conn.," MHSC, 4th Ser. , I (1852), 5-51, containing

178

William Adams 1 Diary; and "Extracts from the Diary of Rev.
Samuel Dexter of Dedham," NEHGR, XIII (1859). 305-310,
XIV (I860), 35-4-0, 107-112, 202-205. Information on
deacons of the Dedham area is also contained in John P.
Whiting, "Diary of John Whiting of Dedham, Mass., 174-3-
1784," ibid., LXIII (1909), 185-192, 261-265.

DEDHAM, Clapboard Trees Parish (see Westwood).

DEDHAM, Fourth Parish (see Dover).

DEDHAM, Second Church (see Westwood).

DEDHAM, Second Precinct, Parish (see Norwood).

DEDHAM, South Precinct, Parish, Church (see Norwood)

179

DEDHAM,

Springfield

Parish (see Dover)

' •

DEDHAM,

Third Parish (see Westwood).

DEDHAM,

Tiot

Parish

(see Norwood).

DEDHAM,

West

Church

and Precinct (see

Dover),

1 DEDHAM,

West

Parish

(see Westwood).

DEERFIELD, First Church (U/C).

The church was gathered on Oct* 17, 1688, and the First
Parish organized in 1825. In 1835, the orthodox minority
of the church withdrew, forming their own church and,
three years later, a society. In 194-7, the two churches
rejoined on a nondenominational basis.

180

Ministers :

John Williams (ord. 1688; d. 1729)
Jonathan Ashley ford. 1732; d. 1780)
John Taylor (sett. 1787; dism. 1806;

d. 1840)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of records,
the names of only four officers have been found. Deacon
David Hoyt died a captive of the Indians, and Deacon
Thomas French, also captured, was redeemed, ca. 1703.
The diary of Deacon Noah Wright for the years ca. 1746 has
been published by Stephen W. Williams, " Indi an~"Uars , "
N3HGR, II (1848), 207-210. The Rowe Church Records men-
tion a Deacon Asabel Wright of Deerfield in 1787-

Frederick L. Weis in 1941 reported the seventeenth century
church records as destroyed in the burning of the town in
1704. Emil Oberholzer, Jr. reported using two volumes of
Deerfield church records (1688-1733, 1733-1803) in his
study of discipline published in 1956. The present
writer was unable to locate any records antedating 1807,
either at the Greenfield bank where the church-owned
extant records are deposited, at the church, or at the
Pocumtuck Valley Historical Association, Deerfield.

CR - "Records of the Church in Deerfield, Transcribed from
the old Book of Church records in the year 1809 By Rev.
Samuel Willard, D.D." 1807-1933-

PR I - "Records of the first congregational Parish in the
Town of Deerfield, - County of Franklin - Commonwealth of
Massachusetts. " 1803-1923.

Miscellaneous records: Records of the Orthodox Congrega-
tional Church and Society of 1835/1838, from inception to
1947 reunion with the Unitarian body.

1. "Early Records of the Seventeenth Century Churches in
Massachusetts Which Became Unitarian," UHSP . VII, ii
(1941), 19-

2. Delinquent Saints (New York, 1956), p. 344 and passim .

181

D2NNIS, First (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on June 22, 1727 as the Church in
the 3ast Precinct of Yarmouth (set off in 1721). In 1793,
the precinct was incorporated as the town of Dennis, and
the church's name was appropriately changed.
Dennis soon developed two distinct centers of population,
and church attendance was divided "between the town's two
meetinghouses, the one at North (Old) Dennis, the other
at South Dennis. Not until 1317 was a Second Church
gathered; it was located in South Dennis.

In 1829, the North (now First) Parish (incorporated 1798)
invited a liberal candidate to settle in the ministry; in
protest, the orthodox majority of that church withdrew,
forming a short-lived Trinitarian North Church and Third
Congregational Society. The Unitarian First Churchand
Parish began to dwindle in membership, becoming extinct
ca. 1860.

Ministers :

Josiah Dennis
Nathan Stone
Caleb Holmes

ord. 1727; d. 1763
ord. 1764; d. 1004

ord. 1805; d. 1813

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon Joseph Hall"
3Jbenezer Paddock
Daniel Hall
John Sears
Joseph Howe II
Anthony Howes

Stephen Sears
Josetih Howes

1727 '
1768)
1740:
1768)

1769)
1782;

(e. 1789;
(e. 1789)

; d. 1737)
d. 1768-1769)

dism. and rem,
,d. 1815)

The records are owned and held by the Town Clerk.

OR I - "To be returned to Hiram Hall Dennis Barnstable
Co. Mass." Some church records, 1727-1309; vital
statistics: baptisms, 1727-1733, 1752-1809; admissions,
1727-1809; dismissions, 1766-1802.

1. Previously a deacon at Yarmouth First, now Yarmouth,
Port.

2. Nathan Hall was elected a deacon prior to 1814, but
whether t>rior to 1805 is not known.

182

CR I PUB - Samuel P. May, "Records of the Church at East
Yarmouth, Now Dennis, Mass.," GA, II (1899), 33-38, 71-77,
III (1900), 17-21, 85-88, IV (T501), 47-49, 118-122, 129-
14-7- Complete except for omission of observances of the
Lord's Supper listed in CR I.

CR II - "Church Records by Joseph Haven Pastor Commencing
1814." Some church records, 1814-1850; vital statistics:
baptisms, 1814-1845; admissions, 1815-1845; marriages,
1814-1849; deaths, 1814-1850; also church treasurers
accounts, 1814-1838.

PR I - "The Book of Records for the East Precinct in
Yarmouth April y e 9 Ann° Dom: 1722," Precinct/parish
records, 1722-1813.

DENNIS, North Church (see Dennis, First).

DIGHTON, First (C).

The church was gathered in 1710 as the Church in the South
Precinct of Taunton. The precinct (incorporated in 1709)
became the town of Dighton in 1712, and the church's name
was duly changed. When the original meetinghouse burned
in 1767, its successor was located at Buck Plain, in pro-
test against which location persons living in the southern
and eastern parts of the town withdrew and organized their
own worship services. Attempts to reunite the two bodies
as one church were dropped after 1800.

As for the original or First Church, its First Congrega-
tional Society was incorporated in 1803, the name being
changed to Central Congregational Society in 1828.

1. See DIGHTON, Pedo-Baptist Congregational Society.

18?

Ministers:

Nathaniel Fisher
John Smith

William Warren

Cord. 1710; d. 1777)

(ord, 1772; rem. 1800;

d. 1820)

(ord. 1802; dism. 1815;

excommunicated 1820; d. 1836)

Ruling elders and deacons: in the absence of early church
records, the names of only four officers have survived.
The church probably did not employ ruling elders. The
known deacons are:

Abraham Hathaway
Jared Talbot
Nathan Walker
Gideon Babbitt

;a. 1725)

d. 1733/34)

d. 1771)

d. 1832)

All records antedating 1815 are believed to have been
taken or destroyed by the third minister at the time of
his excommunication.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1815-1916.

gregational Church, Dighton, Mass
Past and Present

08 - 1958 Dighton,
Genealogical Notes~ oT~ MemDers of the

Tlrlt "Congregational Church of Dighton , Massachusetts
THTpT, 1958).

DIGHTON, Pedo-Baptist Congregational Society (U).

Members of Dighton 1 s First Church who were displeased by
the location of the second meetinghouse, withdrew in 1767
and commenced erecting their own building in the Lower
Village, more accessible to the southern and eastern parts

1. Reported in good condition by Carroll D. Wright,
Report on the Custody and Condition of the Public Records
of Parishes , Towns , and ~ £ounties (.Boston, 1889), P. 18.

184

of the town. The project was suspended during the Revolu-
tionary War, although appeals for abatement of taxes sup-
porting the First Church's ministry were forwarded as
early as 1770 and worship services already in progress.
Whether there was a church gathered here in 1776 is uncer-
tain; Ezra, Stiles is known to have ministered here in
1776-1777. The Pedo-Baptist Congregational Society was
organized in 1769, hut did not receive incorporation from
the General Court until 1798. It seems likely that the
church was formally gathered at the time of the first
minister's ordination, Sept. 23» 1803, or shortly before
that event. It has sometimes been called the South Church
in Dighton.

Minister: Abraham Gushee (ord. 1803; res. 1860; d. 1861)

Ruling elders and deacons: no names of lay officers have
survived.

No church records are extant,
owned and held by the church.

The society records are

SR I - "Book of Records belonging to the Congregational
Society in the South Parish - Dighton," 1797-1901.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer 1 s Accounts,
1861-1373.

DIGHTON, Buck-Plain Meeting House (see Dighton, First).

DIC2IT0N, Central Congregational Society (see Dighton, First)

1. See the bibliographical references for DIGHTON, First;
also George L. Thompson, Year Book and Directory The Uni -
tarian Church Dighton, Mass . Organized as the PeSo ^
3aptist Congregational Society in 1769~ Tn.p. % 1935).

185

DIGHTON, Lower Village (see Dighton, Pedo-Baptist)

DIGHTON, North Parish and Church (see Dighton, First )•

DIGHTON. South Parish and Church (see Dighton, Pedo-
Baptist;.

DORCHESTER. First Church and Parish (see Boston,
Dorchester;.

DORCHESTER, South Precinct (see Canton).

DORCHESTER, South Precinct (a part of) (see Stoughton)

186

DOUGLAS, First, East (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 11, 174-7; the Congrega-
tional Society was incorporated in 1806.

Ministers: William Phips
Isaac Stone

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Thomas Cook
John Marsh
Jeremiah Whiting
Capt. Caleb Hill
Micah Whitney
Josiah Heed

(ord. 1747; dism. 1765; d. 1798)
Cord. 1771; dism. 1805; d. 1837;

e. 1748: res. 1752)
e. 17^8)

e. 1752; d. 1800)
e. 1752; d. 1788)
rem. 1785) ,
e. 1788; rem. 1789)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited in a
local bank.

OR I - "The Book of Church Records For the Chh. of Christ,
in Douglas." 1748-184-5.

SR I - Society Records, 1806-1853.

DOVSR (U/C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 7» 1762 as the West Church
in Dedham, the West Precinct in Dedham having been incor-
porated in 1748. Variously known as the Fourth Parish in
Dedham and as Springfield Parish, this body was retitled

1. No other deacons were elected prior to 1805, due to
refusals of nominees (prompted by the ministers 1 proclivity
for quarreling with their deacons. It is not known if
Peter White, elected a deacon in 1791 i accepted the post;
one is inclined to think not. Until Stone's removal, the
church had to content itself with assigning diaconal tasks
on an ad hoc basis to nonofficers.

187

the First Parish when Dover was made a town in 1784-. The

orthodox withdrew to form a Second Church in 1839 , but in

recent years the two bodies have federated into a single
church.

Minister: Benjamin Caryl (ord. 1762; d. 1811)

Ruling elders and deacons: no records of lay personnel
survives.

Virtually no records antedating the present century are
extant. The surviving materials are owned and held by
the church. Prom the Unitarian side are:

PR - "Records of The First Parish in Dover, 1893." 1895-
1940,

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1859-
1901; Records of Trustees of the Barden Fund, 1872-1923.

Prom the Congregational side are :

3R - "Record of Second Congregational .Society, Dover, Mass.,
commencing 1878." 1878-1921.

See also the Manual oublished by the Congregational body
(Boston, 1885; Needham, 1891).

DRACUT, Christ Church United (C).

The church was gathered on March 20, 1720/21. Recurrent
disagreements over the most suitable location of the
meetinghouse resulted in 179^ in the first separation from
the original body. In this year, the building variously
denominated the Centre or Central or "Old Yellow" Meeting
House was erected to house the activities of the church
thereafter known as Central Congregational Church. Dis-
satisfied residents of western Dracut thereupon withdrew,
and built themselves a house of worship more conveniently
located on the site of the present Pawtucket Church of
Lowell.

188

A more critical division came in 1834, this time on doc-
trinal grounds. The majority of the church, being strongly
orthodox in matters of belief, withdrew and in the same
year incorporated their own body of Proprietors and Society,
This church took the name of The (First) ISvangelical Con-
gregational Church, built and occupied the Hillside Meet-
inghouse, retaining whatever church records were then
extant.

The First Parish and a remnant of the Central Church con-
tinued at the "Old Yellow" Meeting House, but the interest
in Unitarianism appears to have been short-lived. In 18 34 ,
the First Parish voted the use of the meetinghouse to local
Unitarians, Calvinists, Methodists and (in 1835) Baptists,
in proportion to the monies subscribed for the upkeep of
the building. 3y 184-7, the Unitarian movement had entirely
disappeared, and the church reorganized on specifically
orthodox doctrinal grounds, retaining the extant parish
records.

In 1969, the First Parish Church and The First Evangelical
Congregational Church merged under the name of Christ
Church United.

Ministers:

Thomas Parker
Nathan Davis

Solomon Aiken

(ord. 1720/21; d. 1765)
(ord. 1765; dism. 1781;
d. 1803)

(ord. 1788; dism. 1814;
d. 1832)

Rulinn elders: none.

Deacons :

Howard

Sbenezer Goodhue
Robert Col burn
jidward Colburn
Nathaniel Fox
Amos Bradley
Thomas rlovey

(m. 1714)

(m. 1739)

Cm. 1745)

(m. 1749)

(m. 1749)

(m. 1731-1794)

(m. 1788; d. 1826)

There are no church records antedating 1787, and. all extant
records are owned and held by Christ Church United.

C3 I - "A Record of the public Transactions of the Church
in Dracutt And those matters which concern the Church Be-
ginning September 27, 1787." Largely vital statistics,
and some votes, 1787-1314.

1. ?or many years, _ ? irst -Evangelical erroneously claimed
1717 as its year of gathering. The ^irst Parish sometimes
claimed the date 1711, the year of the town's first vote
to build a meetinghouse.

189

OR II - "A record of the public transactions of the church
in Dracut beginning October 6th. 1815." 1815-1833.

CR III - "Church Record. 1833." "Record of the first
Congregational Church in Dracut." "A record of the public
transactions of the Church in Dracut beginning October the
23rd A.D. 1833." 1833-184-7.

CR IV - "Catalogue of the Names of the Members of the
first Evangelical Congregational Church Jan. 1, 1848."
With church records, 1847-1894.

CR V - "Records of the First Evangelical Congregational
Church of Dracut From June 20th 1894." 1894-1925-

SR I -"Dracutt Evangelical Congregational Society's Rec-
ord Book March 8th 1834." 1834-1926.

Miscellaneous records: Records of Stock-holders for
building a Meeting House, 1834-1883 •

The following records are owned and held by the First
Parish and Central Congregational Church.

TR I ABSTRACT - "Church History of the Town of Dracut,
Mass. Gleaned from the town records Volumes 1 to 7 in-
clusive by John Alfred 3ailey April 1928." Votes relat-
ing to parish business, 1711-1835; First Parish records,
1835-1841.

Dracut

PR II - Parish Records, 1814-1865.

PR III - "Property of the First Parish in Dracut
March 12, 1866." 1866-1956.

Miscellaneous records: Records of the Central Congrega-
tional Church, 1847-1919.

See also Silas R. Cot-urn' S MS
society and church (ca. 1920)
Evangelical (Hillside; Church
Dracut, Massachusetts , Called
and Before Incorporation , The
MerrimacT Lowell, l^^J; 1937
Yellow Meeting House ( Centra
Dracut. Massachusetts (n.p. ,

history of the stockholders,
owned and held by the First
Silas R- Coburn, History of
b y the Indians Augumtoocooke
QiloTerness North of the
Anniversary Journal , Old
Congregationa l Church "*"

1957;.

190

DRACUT, West Church, West Society, West Parish (see Lowell)

DUDLEY (C).

The church was gathered in 1732. The First Congregational
Society was incorporated in 1797, and later dissolved.
The church was incorporated on Sept. 16, 1891.

Ministers: Perley Howe (ord. 1735; rem. 174-3;

d. 1753)
Charles Gleason (ord. 1744; d. 1790)
Joshua Johnson (inst. 1790; dism. 1796;

d. 1820)
Abiel Williams (ord, 1799; res. 1831;

d. 1850)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Joseph Edmunds
Benjamin Conant
Jonathan Newell
Jacob Bradbury
Abijah Newell
Edward Davis
Jason Phipps
Jonathan Bacon

(rem. 1763)

(e. 17*5)

(e. 1763;

(e. 1770;

(e. 1770;

(e. 1773;

(e. 1795;

d. ca. 1795)
d. ca. 1795)
res. 1795)
m. 1805
m. 1805

There, are no records antedating 17*4-, a lack noted in
1845- The extant records are owned and held by the
church.

CR I - "Church Records." 1744-1831-

CR II - "Records of the Congregational church in Dudley,
Mass." 1831-1891-

SR I - "Records of the Congregational Society in Dudley."

1797-1862.

1. See Historical Notice of the Congregational Church in
Dudley % with the Articles of Faith , Covenant , &c .
(Worcester, 1845).

191

SR II - Society Records, 1863-1890.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1846-
1900; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1798-1886, 1844-1881;
Proprietors Records, 1833«

DUNSTABLE, Separate (C), extinct.

The partitioning of Old Dunstable (two-thirds of which was
annexed to New Hampshire in 174-1) » saw the rise of fac-
tions contending over the location of a now-needed meeting-
house. One faction actually resided over the line in New
Hampshire, the other in Massachusetts. In 1747 , the
"town" voted to settle New Light preacher Samuel Bird,
designating the New Hampshire area as the site of the
meetinghouse. The Massachusetts faction properly pointed
out that the area in question was already a part of New
Hampshire, that the New Hampshire legislature had not
recognized "Dunstable, New Hampshire" as an incorporated
town, and that Bird's settlement was therefore the act of
a non-existent body.

The New Hampshire legislature recognized the force of this
argument in 1748, although the illegally-gathered church
probably continued its existence to 1751; in the latter
year, Bird removed to Connecticut.

Minister: Samuel Bird (sett* and ord. 174-7; rem. 1751;

d. 1784)

Ruling elders and deacons: there being no records of this
church, nothing is known of its lay officers or membership

See Charles J. Fox, History of the Old Township of Dun-
stable: Including; Nashua, Nashville, Hollis , Hudson ,
Litchfield , and fTerrimac , N.H. ; Dunstable and Tynnsoboro .
Mass . CNashua, 1846); Slias ^ason. A History of the Town
of Dunstable , Massachusetts , from Its Earliest Settlement

1. The church in present-day Dunstable is the one
gathered in 1757- See DUNSTABLE, First Congregational
Parish, extinct, and Evangelical Congregational Church.

192

to the Year of Our Lord , 1875 (Boston, 1877); John W.

Churchill, History of the First Church in Punstable -
Nashua, N.H. and of Later Churches There (Boston, 1918) j
v. C, Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New .England ,
174-0 - lSOO (New Haven ancTEondon, 1962)7"p*T3l37^

DUNSTABL2, First Congregational Parish (U/U), extinct.
Evangelical Congregational Church (C).

A church had been gathered at Old Dunstable in 1685, 1 but
in 1741 the area (and church) was set off to New Hamp-
shire. The ill-fated attempt to gather a church at
Dunstable in 174-7 is noted above. In 1755, Dunstable was
divided into First and Second Parishes, and a church
gathered in the Second Parish on May 12, 1757. When the
First Parish became the parish of the town of Tyngsboro
in 1789 i the Second became the First Parish in Dunstable.
It is with this latter parish (and church) that we have
to do.

The religious history of Dunstable is further complicated
by the doctrinal controversies of the early nineteenth
century. Dunstable Universalists organized a society of
their own in 1818, and like the orthodox church made use
of the meetinghouse. In 1830, the orthodox withdrew from
the First Parish and erected their own house of worship,
and continue today as the Evangelical Congregational
Church. Thereupon the First Parish reorganized (1331),
assimilating the Universalists, and heard a succession of
Universalist and Unitarian supplies. In 1864, the First
Parish meetinghouse was destroyed by fire, and the

1. The annexation of this area to New Hampshire accounts
for the confusing entries found in Robert T. Swan, "Tenth
Report on the Custody and Condition of the Public Records
of Parishes, Towns, and Counties'* (Public Document No. 52),
Public Documents of Has s achu s e 1 1 s x^_i for the Year 1897
(Boston, 1898), lT7 50, 163; and Frederick LTTJeis, The
Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New England
(Lancaster, Mass., 1935), pp. 24S, 260.

193

constituency of the Parish., greatly reduced in numbers,
reorganized, but soon after became extinct. The Evangel-
ical Congregational Church constitutes the only surviving
remnant of the 1757 church and First Parish,

Ministers :

Josiah Goodhue (ord. 1757; dism. 1774;

d. 1797)
Supplies ( 177^-1799 )
Joshua Heywood (ord. 1799; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: Deacon Zebedee Kendall

Deacon Joel Parkhurst

(e. 1794; d. 1859).
(e. 1794; d. 1808 5 X

Deacons: Ebenezer Sherwin (e. 1757; *• 1759

Samuel Taylor
Joseph Fletcher
Elijah Robbins
Zebedee Kendall

Joel Parkhurst

e. 1758;

e. 1764;

e. 1789;

e. 1789;

d.

d.

1792
1784
m. 1800
elev. to

ruling

elder 1794; d. 1839)

(e. 1793; elev, to ruling

elder 1794; d. 1808)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at the
Town Hall.

CR I - "Book A." Church records, 1757-1791.

CR II - "Book B." 1791-1834.

CR III - "Record Book." (Flyleaf: "Book C. Confession
of Faith, Covenant and Rules of Discipline and Practice.
Dunstable, Mass. Jany. 1. 1834. Also the Records of the
Church from the above named date.") 1834-1898.

CR IV - "Book D." 1898-1912.

SR I - Society Records, 1830-1845.

3R II - Society Records, 1846-1887-

Hiscellaneous records: Church and Society Treasurer's Ac
counts, 1868-1893; Church Committee Records, 1829-1831.

1. The church elected ruling elders for the first and
only time in 1794, but the power of this eldership was
vitiated by the frequent appointment of ad hoc committees
to investigate and expedite the handling of disciplajiary

cases.

194-

DUNSTABLE, First Parish (see Tyngsboro)

DUNSTABLE, Second Church and Second Parish (or Precinct)
(see Dunstable, Evangelical Congregational Church).

DUXBOROUGH (see Duxbury).

DUXBURY, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered in 1632, and the First Parish organ-
ized in 1828. A separation (partly due to opposition to
New Light views held by Rev. Samuel Veazie) in 174-3, was
terminated with Veazie' s dismissal in 1750.
Incorporation of church and parish as a sinprle entity was
effected in 1°A0.

Ministers: William Brewster

Ralph Partridge
John Holmes
Ichabod Wiswall
John Robinson

Samuel Veazie

Charles Turner

Zedekiah Sanger, D.D

John Allyn, D.D.

(Plymouth ruling elder,
acting minister at Dux-
bury 1632-1637; d. 1643)
(ord. 1637; d. 1658)
(sett. 1658; d. 1675)
(ord. 1676; d. 1700)
(ord. 1702; dism. 1738;
d. 1745)

(ord. 1739; rem. 1750
d. 1797)

(ord. 1755; rem. 1775
d. 1813)

(ord. 1776; rem. 1786
d. 1820)
(ord. 1788; d. 1833)

195

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: listing fragmentary, due to absence of early
church records.

John Wadsworth^
Benjamin Alden,
John Wadsworth^
Capt. James Arnold
Samuel Seabury
Ezekiel Soule
Peleg Wadsworth
Nathaniel Simmons
James Southworth
Perez Loring

(e. ca. 1676; d. ca. 1700)

m. 174-0; d. 174l7~

m. 1741; d. 1750)

e. 1741: d. 1755)

d. 1776)

e. 1749)

e. 1755; n. 1794

e, 1756; m. 1763

m. 1776; d. 1811

(m. 1788-1304)

The records antedating 1739 were long ago destroyed by
fire; those extant are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Records, 1739 to 1825."

CR II - "Records," 1826-1884; vital statistics to 1904.

PR I - "Records of the Congregational Society in Duxbury."
1828-1849.

PR II - "Parish Records. Commenced March 22d. 1350.
Book No. 2." 1850-1890.

P/SR III - Society Records, 1887-1899.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors 1 and Treasurer's
Accounts, 1828-1891; Parish Assessors 1 Rate Book, 1880-
1885; Parish Committee Accounts, 1837-1855; Record of Pew
Sales (1840) and Building Committee (1843).

1. So far as is known, the church never employed ruling
elders. Brewster, of course, was ruling elder at Plymouth,
and his ministry at Duxbury (like that of Plymouth) did
not include the exercise of sacramental duties. See In-
crease N. Tarbox, "Ruling aiders in the Early New-England
Churches," C^, XIV - New Ser. , IV (1872), 405.

2. See George E. 3owman, "Deacon Benjamin Alden's Es-
tate - Widow Hannah Alden's Death - Elizabeth Alden's
Estate," MD, XXIV (1922), 74-81.

3. See "Deacon John Wadsworth' s Estate,
(1919), 89-93.

op . cit • , XXI

196

KAST BRIDGEWAT3R, First Parish (U).

Made a town in 1656, Bridgewater originally contained
present-day Bridgewater, East Bridgewater, and V/est
Bridgewater, the oldest church dating from 1664.
In 1716 the area was divided into northern and southern
precincts, the latter becoming modern Bridgewater. Since
the original church lay in the northern section, a church
was gathered in the southern precinct in 1718.
The northern precinct was divided into duly incorporated
eastern and western precincts in 1723, the 1664- church
falling to the latter area. The eastern precinct now
moved to., gather 3 church of its own, accomplished on Oct.
28, 1724 1 under the name of the Third Church in Bridge-
water.

This eastern precinct was made the town of East Bridge-
water in 1823, and the follov/infx year the parish incorpo-
rated as the First Parish, the church taking the title of
First Church.

Ministers: John Anirier

ford. 1724; d. 1787)
Samuel Angier (ord. colleague 1767; dism.

1804; d. 1805)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons:

James Cary

Recompence Gary
2

(e. 1724-1725; ord. 1725;
d. 1759)

(e. 1724-1725; ord. 1725;
d. 1762)

Ca^t. Thomas V/hitman (e. 1748; ord. 174-9;

d. 1788)

(e. 1743; ord. 17^-9;
d. 1760)
(e. 1760; d. 1790)

Seth Allen
Zacharias Shaw

1. Some authorities claim the church
Feb. 28, 1723; e.g., Joseph 3. Clark,
of the Connrerational Churche s in Has
to T358 (Boston, 1358), p. 137, anoTT
C oloni al Cler gy and The Colonial Chur
"(Lancaster, K-iss. , *1<533)» p. 248. Th
ords, however, show that the covenant
28, 1724, at the time of John An~ier'

was gathered on
A Histori cal Sketch
sachusetts" , from 1620

eis, The

rederick L.

ches of New Zin^lancT"

e extant church rec-
ing took place on Oct
s ordination.

2. See "James Cary His Book 1720," MD, XXXII (193*0 » 156-
162.

197

Nathaniel Edson (e. 1773; d. 1784- )
John V-hitman, Jr. (e. 1773; res. 1808)
Capt. Nathan Alden (e. 1784; d. 1807)

The records are owned by the church and parish, and de-
posited in a local bank.

CH I - HIoSHTG, Church Records, 1724-1752.

OH I COPY - "The Sewing Circle connected with the first
Parish in East Bri&gevater will please to accept this copy
of the Records of the Church from their old friend Bath-
sheba Whitman. Le::in ton, May 31, 1853." Ccray made in
1853 of C2 I, 1724-1852; contains only vital statistics
and notices of diaconal elections.

V3 I FJ3 - Henry F. Jenks, "Record of Marriages Solemnized
in the East Parish of Bridgewater , Mass. From March 4,
1725, to August 3, 1S03, by the Rev. John Anfjier (settled
1724, died April 14, 1787), and the Rev. Samuel Angier,
his son and colleague (settled 1767, died Jan. 18, 1805),"
NSHGR, XLV (189D, 12-14, 142-145, 244-246, XLVI (1892),

55^, 167-171.

PR I - "A Book of Re c ords Belonging To The East Precinct
in Bridcewater." 1723/24-1824.

PR II - "Record of the- First Parish in East Brid-ewater -
1824." 1824-1871.

PR III - "Records First Parish S. Bridr:ev/ater." 1872-
1931.

EAST DOUGLAS (see Douglas ).

EAST GRANVILLE, Church and Parish (see Granville, First,
Federated, Center).

198

EA.STHAM, First or North (C), extinct.

The original church at Eastham was gathered in 1546, and
its meetinghouse located at Nauset (now in Eastham). In
1718, the first house of worship was replaced with one more
commodious, located in what is now Orleans. The following
year the town was divided into northern and southern pre-
cincts, and the minister elected to remain with the Orleans
congregation, deeming it to be the continuing body. The
residents of the^northern precinct either continued or else
covenanted anew.

In 1723* "the northern precinct was itself cut into a
northern precinct (eventually to become Wellfleet) and a
"Central Precinct" (which retained the name of Eastham
when Wellfleet and Orleans achieved townhood). It is the
history of the church of the "Central Precinct," latterly
Eastham, that concerns us here.

The last settled minister closed his pastorate in 1859; by
1864 the meetinghouse had been sold, and the church's car-
eer was at an end.

Ministers :

John Mayo
Thomas Crosby

Samuel Treat
Samuel Osborn

Benjamin Webb
Edward Che ever
Philander Shaw

(sett. 1646; rem. 1655; d. 1676)

(sett. 1655-1670 as "religious

teacher," probably unord. ; d.

1702)

Cord. 1675; d. 1717)

(ord. 1718; remained 1719 with

South [Orleans] Precinct and

church; d. 1774)

ord. 1720; d. 1746)

inst. 1751; d. 1794)

ord. 1795; d. 1841)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the loss of all records
many years ago, it is not known if the church employed
ruling elders. The names of five deacons have survived in
secondary sources, but it is not known whether they staged
or removed once the Orleans church was set off in 1719-

Deacons :

John Paine
Thomas Crosby
Edward Knowles
Samuel Freeman
John Freeman

1695-1718)

173D
1740)

1746; d. 1755)

1750-1755)

1. In the absence of records, it is impossible to determine
whether either church began de novo in 1719«

2. See "Deacon John Paine* s Journal," MD, VIII (1906), 180-
184, 227-231, IX (1907), 49-51, 97-99, 136-140. The names
of the other deacons are given in Pratt's and Freeman's writ
ings, cited below.

199

See "A Description and History of Eastham, in the County
of 3arostable. September 1802," MHSC, 1st Ser. , VIII
(1802, rep. 1846), 154-186; Enoch Pratt, A Comprehensive
History , Ecclesiastical and Civil, of Eastham . Wellfleet
and Orleans , County of " Barnstable , Mass . From 1644 to
T8%4 I Yarmouth, 184477 Frederick Freeman, The History of
gfpe Cod , 2 vols. (Boston, 1860-1862); [Ruth L. BarnardJ,
History of The Congregational Church , Orleans , Mass.
(Harwich, lW7); Donald G. Trayser et alii , Easthan ,
Massachusetts , 1651 - 1951 (Lexington, 1951 J.

EASTHAM, Central Precinct (see Eastham, First or North).

EASTHAM, First (see Orleans).

EASTHAM, North Church and Precinct (see Eastham, First or
North).

EASTHAM, North Precinct/Parish and Church (see Wellfleet).

EASTHAM, South Church and Parish (see Orleans).

200

EASTHAM, Third Parish (see Vellfleet)

EASTHAKPTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 17, 1785, and its parish
was organized in 1835. A daughter church (Payson Church)
created in 1852 rejoined the parent body in 1918, at
which time church and parish were incorporated as a single
entity.

Minister: Payson Villiston (ord. 1789; dism. 1833;

d. 1856)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Stephen Wright
Benjamin Lyman
Obadiah Janes
Joel Parsons

e. 1736; eta. 1807; d. 1809)

e. 1786; d. 1798)

e. 1788; eta. 1807; d. 1817)

e. 1798; eta. 1813; d. 1818)

There are no records antedating 1853; the extant records
are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1785-1853. 1

CR II - "Record." 1853-1918.

PR I - "Parish Book. No. 1. Easthampton. " 1855-1851.

PR II - "Records. 1st Parish, Sasthampton. " 1850-1889.

PR III - Parish Records, 1889-1918.

Miscellaneous records: Payson Society Records, 1851-1888.

1. See Payson tf. Lyman, The Historical Address delivered
by Rev . Payson £. Lyman on the One Hundredth Anniversary
of the Founding of the First Church , Easthanpton , MassT T
November 17 , 1885" (Sasthauro ton. 1887)1 Lyman reported
that the church records through 1834- were comprised al-
most entirely of vital statistics; these records have
since disappeared.

201

EAST HAVERHILL (see Haverhill, East)

EAST HAWLEY (see Fawley, First, Charlemont)

EAST HEDWAY, Church and Parish (see Iiillis)

EASIDON, First Congregational Parish (U), inactive.

The church was gathered sometime during the years 1722-
1723, as the Church in the East Precinct of Norton. The
precinct boundaries had been established in 1713 , but
legal incorporation was delayed until 1722. Three years
later, the precinct became the town of Easton.
Dissention over the location of the meetinghouse came to
a head in 1750. The town voted to raze the old building,
and did so, erecting a new house of worship on a site the
minister, New Light Solomon Prentice, and two-thirds of
the church members deemed inconvenient. Prentice and his
supporters therefore voted to meet in private homes until
suitable accomodations could be obtained.
Relationships between the two factions deteriorated to the
point where", in 1751, the Prentice party suspended from

1. Authorities give a variety of dates for the gathering
of the church, ranging from 1715 to 1725; the earlier
dates are based on the organization of a legally unrecog-
nized "East Society of the [Taunton., North-Purchase,
which in 1715 hired Ruling Elder William Pratt to preach
to them. It is ex-tremely doubtful that any church was
covenanted before 1722.

202

membership all who had forwarded the town's action on the
old and new meetinghouses. The extraordinary reaction of
the suspended church members was to declare themselves the
church, and vote Prentice's dismissal from the ministry,
an act with which the town now voted its concurrence. The
dismissal was voided, however, by the fact that the
"church" so voting consisted entirely of persons suspended
from the membership of Prentice's church, and the concur-
rence of the town could only be interpreted as being of no
effect.

The Prentice party might have made good its case, had it
not decided in 1752 to declare for Presbyterianism. Trans-
ferring its activities to a new building erected on Pren-
tice's land, it proceeded to elect ruling elders. Shortly
thereafter, it invited the Presbytery to meet at Easton to
deal with Prentice's drift into Baptist principles, in
consequence of which the New Light minister was suspended.
He moved to Grafton in 1755, and died in 1773. The Pres-
byterian church in Easton became extinct by 1762.
The movement of Prentice's church into Presbyterianism
cleared the way for the remnants of the original church
to reorganize and a minister was duly settled upon Pren-
tice's suspension and removal. The parish was incorpo-
rated in 1792, and again in 1810.

In 18J2, doctrinal differences found the parish showing
Unitarian sympathies, while the church declared itself
orthodox. In 1839, an orthodox society was organized to
support the church, which by now had withdrawn from the
parish. The parish and liberal remnant still continue,
although listed by the denomination as inactive.

Ministers:

Matthew Short
Joseph Belcher

Solomon Prentice

George Farrar
Archibald Campbell

William Reed

(Inst. 1723; d. 1731)

(ord. 1731; dism. 1744:

d. 1773)

(inst. 17^7, not legally

dism. by the town until

1755, rem.; d. 1773)

(ord. 1755; d. 1756)

(ord. 1763; dism. 1782:

d. 1818)

(ord. 1784; d. 1809)

Ruling elders: there is presumptive evidence that the
church employed or contemplated employing ruling elders,
since one of the persons suspended by Prentice's party in
1751 was "Deacon and Ruleing Elder Elect" Edward Hayward.
It seems probable that once the Prentice party declared
for Presbyterianism, the "town church" dropped the office

203

from its structure. (The Presbyterian church elected six
ruling elders between 1752 and 1754.)

Deacons: Joseph Snow

Edward Hayward

Ephraim Randall
Robert Randall

(m. 1732)

(m. 1747-1751 as "Ruleing

Elder Elect")

(m. 17^-7)

Cm. 1750; ooi 116 ^ Prentice

party who e. him ruling

elder 1752; m. 1763)

>. 1758-1763)

e. 1774)

.e. 177^)

>. 1783)

e. 1784; rem. ca. 1790)

'e. ca. 1790)
(e. ca. 1790)

James Bean
William Pratt, Jr.
Daniel Littlefield

Phillips

Matthew Hayward
Joseph Drake
Abijah Reed

When Prentice was installed in 174-7, he found no church
records of the previous pastorates. Records for the years
1747-1754 and 1762-1886 were extant when Chaffin wrote his
History, but have since droooed from sight, the records of
the inactive church dating from 1904. The orthodox church
which withdrew in 1832-1839 has no records older than
those dates. The extant parish records are owned and held
by the clerk of the inactive Unitarian church.

PR I - "This Book Bought September y e 11th 1792. By
Elijah Howard first Parish Clerk in Easton for Parish
Records in Said Easton." 1792-1904.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books, the
number of books indicated in parentheses after the appro-
priate year: 1794 (3), 1795 fe). 1797 (4) ,1798 (4)
1799 (2), 1800 M y 1801 (3), 1802 (4^, 1803 (4), 1811 (3),
1812 (4), 1813 (4>! 1818 <3), 1819 (4$, 1823 (l)i Parish
Treasurer's Accounts, 1792-1905.

See also Samuel H. Emery, The Ministry of Taunton, with
Incidental Notices of Other Proiessions (Boston, 1553 J*
2 vols.; WilTTamT.IJhaffin, History of the Town of
Easton, Massachusetts (Cambridge, 18857-

204

EA3T0N, Presbyterian Church (see East on, First Parish)

EAST ORLEANS, Church (see Orleans).

EAST SUDBURY, First Church (see Wayland).

EDGARTGWN, First Parish (U), extinct.
Federated Church (C).

The church was gathered in 1641-1642, probably the latter
year; the society was organized in 1820. Ihiring the nine-
teenth century doctrinal controversies, the parish de-
clared for Unitarianism, and the orthodox (constituting a
majority of the church) withdrew. The Unitarian body soon
became extinct, leaving the orthodox (now the Federated
Church) the only surviving heir of the 1642 church.

Ministers;

Thomas Mayhew, Jr.
Peter Folger

Gov. Thomas Mayhew

(ord.? 1642; do 1657)
(assistant to Nayhew in
Indian missions; called
"pastor," "elder"; became
Baotist; rem, to Nantucket;
d. 1690)

(unord. but called
"teacher," sett, here and
carried on Indian missions
1658; d. 1681)

205

John Cotton, Jr.

John Tackanash

Deodat Lawson
Jonathan Dunham

Samuel Wiswall
John Newman
Joshua Tufts
Samuel Kingsbury-
Joseph Thaxter

(invited 1664, possibly not
legally sett., but ministered
here and carried on Indian mis-
sions 1665; rem. 1667; d. 1699)
(Indian preacher, assistant to
Gov. Mayhew after Cotton's rem.;
d. 1684)

(sett. 1681; d. post-1698)
(ord. 1694 [as teacher ?] ;
d. 1717)

(ord. 1715; d. 1746)
(ord. 1747; dism. 1758; d. 1763)
(sett. 1759; rem. 1760; d. 1766)
(ord. 1761; d. 1778)
(ord. 1780; d. 1827)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: fragmentary, due to lack of early records

Matthew Norton
Benjamin Daggett
John Worth, Esq.

William Mayhew
Jonathan Worth

(m. 1747 hd.

(m. 1747 r

(e. 1781; d.

(e. 1789; d.

(e. 1802; d.

ca. 1778)

1802)

1840)
1817)

A memorandum in CR II, p. 1, penned ca. 1840, states that
the records of the church's first century had been lost or
destroyed some years previous. The extant records are the
property of the Federated Church, and are deposited with
the Registrar of Probate, Duke's County Court House,
Edgartown,

CR I - "Records of the Church of Christ, 1717-1839.
Edgartown, Mass." Scattered church votes, 1717-1780;
church records, 1780-1859.

1. One authority reports Daggett's death in 1780, at the
age of 90 (VS I); another reports him removing to Maine
in 1790, and dying there in 1791 (Hall). It is entirely
possible that two deacons by the name of Benjamin Daggett
served the church.

2. Frederick L. Weis et alii » "Early Records of the
Seventeenth Century Churches in Massachusetts Which Became
Unitarian," UHSP, VII, ii (1941), 15, reports a transcript
of the existing records owned and held by the Massachusetts

Historical Society; that organization,
knowledge of any such item.

however, claims no

206

CR I ABSTRACT - Mittie B- Fairbanks, "Edgartown, Mass.,
Church Record," NEHGR , LX (1906), 159-160. Largely
drawn from the 1780 memorandum composed by Thaxter.

VS I & II - Harriet M. Pease, "Copy of a Record of
Deaths Kept by the Rev. Samuel Kingsbury, Minister of
the Gospel at Edgartown, Mass.," NEHGR , LII (1898),
230-235, 368-371, LIII (1899), 102-108: and "Deaths at
Edgartown, Mass.," 0£. cit . , xJX (1905), 202-208, 297-
308, 400-411.

CR II - Church Records, 1839-1917-

SR I - "Records, Congregational Society, 1820-1837.
Book I. Edgartown, Mass."

See John G. Hall, An Historical Discourse , Delivered in
the Congregational Meeting-House , at Edgartown, Mass . ,
November 6, 1878TBoston, 1878); Charles E. Banks, The
History of Martha ' s Vineyard , Dukes County , Massachu -
setts , in Three VoTumes (.Boston, 1^11; Edgartown, 1925) •

EDGARTOWN, Chappaquiddick Indian Church (C), extinct.

While one authority denominates this "the earliest
Indian church in Massachusetts," datinc it 1659, this
seems unlikely. The church gathered in 1659 was probably
the one located at Sanchacantacket, northwest of Edgar-
town, now lying in the township of Oak Bluffs.
In 1670, the Rev. Messrs. John Eliot, John Cotton, Jr.,
and Gov. Thomas Mayhew assisted the 1659 church in
electing officers: Hiacoomes (pastor), John
Tackanash (teacher), John Nohnoso and Joshua
Momatchegin (ruling elders), and Kestumin (deacon).
In 1675, the church divided into two independent bodies,

1. Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Company of 164-9
and its Missionary Enterprises," CSMP, XXXVIII (194?-
195D > 162. In the light of contemporary reports, e.g . ,
letters of John Cotton, Jr. and Thomas Mayhew, Sr.
written ca. 1674- (MHSC, 1st Ser. , I 11792, rep. 1806],
Ch. ix, it would appear that Weis was mistaKen.

20?

to relieve the Indians on Chappaquiddick Island of the
dangerous channel crossing. The officers were divided be-
tween the churches, Hiacoomes and Joshua Homatchegin being
assigned to Chappaquiddick.

In 1683, Hiacoomes being much enfeebled, the churches were
briefly reunited, but after his death in 1690, the Chappa-
quiddick church was reactivated, Joshua Homatchegin,
Jonathan Amos and (probably) John (Hia)coomes serving it
until 1706, when .English missionaries took up its leader-
ship.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOUHira, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: Gov. Thomas Mayhew, 3r

John Mayhew

Hiacoomes

Joshua Homatchegin

John (Hia)coomes

(Vineyard governor;
sett. iSdgartown 1653,
ministered to seven
Indian praying towns
and churches; d. 1681)
(sett. West Tisbury
1673 , ministered to
six Indian praying
towns and churches;
d. 1688/89)
(Indian preacher, con-
verted by Thomas
Mayhew, Jr. 1643; ord.
pastor Oak Bluffs,
Sanchacantacket Indian
Church 1670; sett,
pastor Chappaquiddick
Indian Church 1675;
d. 1690)

(Indian preacher; ord.
ruling elder Oak
Bluffs, Sanchacan-
tacket Indian Church
1670; sett, ruling
elder Chappaquiddick
Indian Church 1675 >
sett, ruling elder at
Sanchacantacket ca .
1683; sett, pastor at
Chappaquiddick 1690;
d. 1703)

(son of Hiacoomes, nay
have briefly assisted
Homatchegin at Chappa-
ouiddick; rem. to Lake-
ville; d. ca. 1718)

208

experience Kay hew

Jonathan Amos

Samuel Wiswall
Zachariah Kayhew

Frederick Baylies

(sett. Indian missionary 1694,
ministered to nine Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1758)

(Indian preacner; e. deacon
Chappaauiddick 1693; e. pastor
1703; d. 1706. Also active at
Oak Bluffs LSanchacantacketJ
and Gay Head Indian Congrega-
tional Church)
(ord. Edfrartown First 1713*
some missionary work; d. 174-6)
(ord. Chilmark 1767, minis-
tered to six Indian praying
towns and churches; d. lt>06)
(missionary, also active at
Went Tisbury, Christiantown
Indian Church: d. 1836)

Ruling elder: Joshua Komatchegin (see above).

Deacon: Jonathan Amos (see above).

As is the case wita all of the Indian churches except
"atick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

EGREKONT (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 20, 1770; it was dissolved
in 1314.

Kinister: Eliphalet Steele (ord. 1770; disra. 1794;

d. 1817)

Puling elders: none.

Deacons: Ephraim Fitch (e. 1771; res. 1775)
Timothy Kellogg (e. 1771)
Ebeneser Olas (e. 1776)

The records are owned and held by tne South Erremont Con-
regational Church (gathered in 1*16, and usually consid-
ered the successor of the 1770 church;.

209

CR I - "Church Records for the Church of Egremont."
(Flyleaf: "Egremont June 28, 1770. A Record of Persons
baptized by Sliohalet Steele Pastor of the Church of
Christ in Said Egremont.") 1770-1795, largely vital
statistics.

CR I COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Egremont, Mass., Records of
Congregational Church." Copy made in 1902 of CR I and
Records of the South Egremont Church, 1816-1881; owned
and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection),
Pittsfield.

ELBOW(S) TRACT OR SETTLEMENT (see Palmer).

ENFLSLD (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Dec. 2, 1789 as the Church in
the South Parish of Greenwich (itself incorporated in
1787). The area became the town of Enfield in 1830, and
the title of church and parish were accordingly changed.
The church became extinct when the creation of the ^uabbin
Reservoir in 1936 destroyed Enfield and the neighboring
towns.

Minister: Joshua Crosby (inst. 1789; d. 1838)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: the extant records begin in 1828 and close in
1836, but this has not prevented considerable speculation
about the identity of the church's lay officers. Donald V.
Howe et alii, ^uabbin : The Lost Valley (Ware, Mass.,
1951) » P- 118, report that Rich and Stone were the deacons
at the time of the church's being gathered; however, the

210

latter may well have been Simon Stone, a Greenwich deacon.
Rich is identified as Deacon Sbenezer Rich, d. 1811, in
History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts , with
Illustrations and 3iocraohical Sketches of Some of Its
Prominent Men and Pioneers "CPhiladelphia, 15797, ~T, "552.
The Deacon John Reynolds of Enfield who attended a South-
field council in the 1780' s (S0UTHFI3LD CR I, p. 83) cannot
be identified. The church manual published under the title
Incorporated February 1$ , 1906 . By-Laws , Creed and Coven-
ant, Historical Sketch and Form of Service for Reception
of Members of "The Con7:recationai~uhurch , jfrifielcl . Mass ~
fSelchertown, Mass., 1927.) makes a definite claim that
Aaron Woods and Darius Sa'oin were elected deacons shortly
after the church's formation.

The extant records are owned and held by the American
Antiquarian Society, Jorcester.

CR I - Churcn Records, 1828-1836.

PR 1 - "Greenwich, Mass. Church. 1799-1816," Mistitled;
actually records of the South Parish (.cinfield).

PR II - Parish Records, 1887-iy06.

Miscellaneous records: the volume entitled "Church Rec-
ords" actually contains transcripts of chattel mortgages,
and records of the Justice of the Peace, and of the Select-
men of the town.

ESSSX, First (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 12, 1683 as the Second
Church in Ipswich. The Second Parish in Ipswich had been
organized in 1679* and was finally incorporated in 1776.
An early (and frequently -used) name for the church and
parish alike was Chebacco.

A New Light separation occurred in 1746, the seceders
gathering Ipswich's Fourth Church and Parish (Essex
Second), but in 1774- the two churches merged as one.

1. It is worth remarking that Howe casually records
another tradition, hardly credible, that the church elected
no deacons until 1828.

211

The name Essex was apparently applied to the area for
quite some time before it becajne a town in 1819.

Ministers:

John Wise

Theophilus Pickering
Nehemiah Porter

John Cleaveland

Josiah Webster

ord. 1683; d. 1725)
ord. 1727; d. 1747)
ord. 17^9; dism. 1766;
d. 1820)

(ord. Ipswich Fourth
1747; pastor of merged
churches from 1774:
d. 1799)
(ord. 1799; dism. 1806)

Ruling elders: despite Wise's advocacy of ruling elders,
the original church did not employ such officers orior to
1774. The seceding (Ipswich Fourth) church, however, did
elect such elders, and the merged church of 1774- continued
these men in office, and later added one more to the lay
eldership.

Francis Choate

Eleazar Craft

Deacon Seth Story

Deacons : John Burnham
Thomas Low
William Goodhue
Seth Story
John Choate
John Andrews
John Burnhan
Seth Story

Zechariah Story
Solomon Gidding

(e. Ipswich Fourth 1747; con-
tinued at merged church;
d. 1777)

(e. Ipswich Fourth 1771; con-
tinued at merged church;
d. 1790)

(e. after Choate' s death;
d, 1786)

' ». ca. 1683; d. 1694)

u 1583; d. 1712)

i. 1683-1694; d. 1712)

i. 1694; d. 1732)

u 1712; d. 1733)
(e. 1732 ?; d. 1750)
(e. 1732; d. 1746)
(e. 1746; elev. to ruling
elder ca. 1777; d. 1786)
(e. 1755; d. 1774)
(e. Ipswich Fourth 1747; con-

tinued at merged church;
d. 1788)

(e. Ipsv/ich Fourth 1747; con-
tinued at merged church;
d. 1815)

(e. Ipswich Fourth 1747; con-
tinued at merged church;

d. 1799)
Jonathan Cogswell (e. ca. 1788; d. 1812)

Stephen Choate

Thomas Burnham

212

Tiie records are owned by the church, and deposited at
Sssex Institute, Salem. The nature of the surviving vol-
umes makes them difficult to categorize, and the inventory
is further complicated by the intertwining of the records
of Ipswich Second and Fourth churches.

C I1ESC I - "Ministerial Record." Vital statistics, and
notes of a few excommunications, 1680-1850.

C HISC II - "Ministerial Record." 1774-1855.

CR I - "Chebacco Second Book." Church records, 1721/25-
1766; some parish records copied in.

CR II - Church Records for Ipswich Second, 1725-1746; for
Ipswich Fourth, 1746-1774; for merged church, 1774-1799-

VS I - "Ipswich Church Records," KLHC, LVIII (1922), 23-24
Admissions and dismissions, 1732-1798.

PR I - Parish Records, 1683-1726.

PR I COPY - Copy of PR I, with some items back to 1676.

PR II - Parish Records, 1807-1824, with Parish Assessors 1
Rates from 1776.

PR III - Parish Records, 1818-1852, prefaced by records
of Ipswich Sixth Parish (Fourth Church), 1752-1775-

PR III - Parish Records, 1853-1896.

33S3X, Second (Ipswich Fourth) (C), extinct.

]?he church was gathered on Hay 22, 1746 by persons seceding
from Essex's First Church (Ipswich Second;. Its parish.
(Ipswich Sixth) was organized in 1752. In 1774, both
church and parish merged with the parent organizations.

i-linister: John Cleaveland (ord. 1747; pastor of merged

church from 1774; d. 1799T

213

Ruling elders: Francis Choate

Daniel Gidding
Eleazar Craft

(e. 174-7; continued at
merged church; d. 1777)
(e. 17^7; do 1771)
(e» 174-7; continued at
merged church; d. 1790)

Deacons: Solomon Gidding
Stephen Choate
Thomas 3urnham

(e. 174-7; continued at merged

church; d. 1738)

(e. 174-7; continued at merged

church; d. 1815)

(e. 174-7; continued at merged

church; d. 1799)

The records are part of the Essex First Church collection,
owned by that church, and deposited at Essex Institute,
Salem.

CR I - Church Records, 1746-1774.

FIRST, CR II.

PR I - Parish Records, 1752-1775-
FIRST, PR III.

Contained in ESSEX

Contained in ESSEX

See C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England ,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and .London, 1962;, pp. 9^100, 206,
pl57

EVERETT (see Kalden, South Church).

FAIRHAVEN, First (C).

The church was gathered on July 25, 1794 as the Second
Church in New Bedford. With the incorporation of the town
of Fairhaven in 1812, the church became the First, and in
1845 the First Congregational Society was incorporated.
The church itself was incorporated on Aug. 22, 1895-

214-

Minister: Isaiah Weston (ord. 1795; dism. 1808)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: none elected until 1309.

Only one "book of records for the years antedating the
church's incorporation is extant; it is owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "Records of the second Church of Christ, in New
Bedford." 1794-1823, with admissions to 1837.

FALL RIV1SR (see Freetown).

FALLTOVN, Church (see Bemardston).

FALH0UTH, First (C).

2he church was gathered on Oct. 10, 1708, although religi-
ous services under the leadership, of Samuel Shiverick had
been held locally since ca. 1700.

1. Shiverick, a Huguenot, was active in Falmouth before
1700; he was disowned as the minister by the town in 1701,
and in 1702 was voted relief by the town, in 1702 he was
further dismissed by the town, and in 1705 again granted
relief. 2own records of 1708 mention him as "our ancient
minister. "

215

Ministers;

Joseph Metcalf
Josiah Marshall

Samuel Palmer
Zebulon Butler

Isaiah Harm
Henry Lincoln

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: (Joseph ?) Parker
Noses Hatch
Aaron Howlee
Joseph Crowell
Thomas Parker
Benjamin Parker
Joseph Davis
Solomon Price
Job Parker
Benjamin Hatch

(sett. 1707; d. 1723)

(ord. 1724; eta. 1730;

a. 1772)

Cord. 1731; d. 1775)

Cord. 1775; dism. 1778;

d. 1791)

Cord. 1780; d. 1789)

Cord. 1790; dism. 1823;

d. 1857)

i

m. 1731;

nu 1734;

(e. 1? 34-;

(e. 1741;

Ce. 1745;

Ce. 1751;

Ce. 1771;

Ce. 1772;

Ce. 1786;

Ce. 1804;

d. ca. 1734)

res. 1745)

res. 1741)

res. 1751 )

m. 177D

m. 1760),

m. 1810) x

d. 1794)

d. 1312)

m. 1820; rem.)

The records antedating 1731 have long been lost; the
extant records are owned by the church and deposited in
a local bank.

CR I - "Church Records 1731 to 1790." (Flyleaf: "Fal-
mouth - Church - Records Continued from November y 24th
1731* On Which Day Samuel Palmer was Separated to the
Work of the Ministry and ordained the Pastor of that
Church ....") 1731-1790.

CR II - "The Church-Records of Falmouth. From Feb^ Jj
1790. By Henry Lincoln Pastor." 1790-1833-

VS I - "Book of Marriages and Deaths in The first Congre-
gational Chh & Parish since my residence in Falm from
Feb? 1824. BenjT Woodbury Pastor of the 1st Chh in Fal-
mouth." Marriages, 1824-1885; deaths, 1824-1885-

CR III - "Church Records." 1833-1890.

1. According to Articles of Faith , and the Covenant , of
the First Congregational Church . Falmouth , Mass . (.Boston,
1851), Timothy Crocker was "ordained" a deacon in 1772,
but the church records do not substantiate this claim.

216

CR IV - "First Cong'l Church, Falmouth Vol. 4." 1390-
1917-

SE I - "Records of the First Congregational Society of
Falmouth. " 1852-1902.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1834-1899; Society Committee Records, 1824-1861.

FEDERAL STREET Church (see Boston, Arlington Street
Church) •

FEZDING HILLS (see Agawam).

FITCHBURG, First Parish (U/U).

Calvinistic Congregational (C).

The church was gathered on January 7» 1768. In 1802, the
orthodox party in the church withdrew from the First Par-
ish, incorporating the Calvinistick Congregational Society
in 1805; in 1804 this body settled Titus T. Barton as its
minister. Barton was dismissed in 1814, the act of incor-
poration was repealed the following year, but the Society
did not disband.

The church of the First Parish, meanwhile, ordained
William Bascom as its minister in 1804, from which post
he was dismissed in 18lj.

In 1813> after due negotiation, the two churches reunited,
and installed a Calvinist, William Eaton, as minister in
1815; he was dismissed in 1823.

21?

In 182J, the church voted to withdraw from the First Par-
ish, and attached itself to the dormant Calvinistick Con-
gregational Society. By court decision all extant parish
records antedating 1823 were returned to the First Parish,
and thereafter the two churches pursued their separate
ways. During the 1940' s, the First Universalist Church
merged its identity with the First Parish; the name of the
1768 church and parish has been retained -

Ministers: John Payson (ord. 1768; dism. 1794- ;

d. 1804)
Samuel Worcester (ord. 1797; dism. 1302:

d. 1821)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon Amos Kimball
John Thurston
Edward Hart well, Esq
Timothy Bancroft
David Goodrich
John Buss, Jr.

Ephraim Kimball, Jr.

Daniel Putnam

Kendall Boutelle

(e. 1768; d. 1774-) 1

1768; d. 1770-1780)
after 1768)

1775)

1747; d. 1786)

after 1776; rem.

1780-1781)

(e. ca. 1780; separated

with the orthodox body

1802; d. 1825)

(m. 1787; separated with

the orthodox body 1802:

d. 1813)

(m. 1790; separated with

the orthodox body 1802;

d. 1819)

During the first separation, the church of the First
Parish elected two deacons:

1. Mention must be made of two Lunenburg deacons who
signed the petition to have Fitchburg set off as a town,
viz. Benjamin Foster and Samuel Putnam; however, both
continued as members of the Lunenburg church.

Some note should be taken of Ephraim Kimball (d. 1782),
cousin of Deacon Amos Kimball and co-settler of Fitchburg.
Active in the life of the Fitchburg church, and sometimes
designated as "Deacon Kimball," there is no evidence that
he was actually elected to such a position. See Ebenezer
Bailey, "Deacon Ephraim Kimball," FH3P, V (1914), 80-94.

213

Jacob Jaquith (e. 1803;
Joseph Tilden (e. 1805;

re-e. 1805; m. 1812)
m. 1812)

At the same time, the orthodox church continued in office
Deacons Kimball, Jr., Putnam, and Boutelle, and since all
these were well-advanced in years, saw fit to add several
others, the following before 1806:

John Farwell
Ebenezer Thurston
John Thurston, Jr.
Ephxaim Kimball, Jr.

(m. 1804; d. 1806)
(e. 1804-1805; m. 1812)
fe. 1805; m. 1810)
(re-e. 1806; d. 1825)

The records antedating 1803 disappeared at the time of the
first separation. The later records are divided among the
First Parish, the Calvinistic Congregational Church, and
the Fitchburg Historical Society. The inventory indicates
the phase of the church(es') development to which given
books of records pertain.

A. Records of the First Parish (1803-1813):

OR I (FP) - "Records of the 'Congregational Church 1 of
Fitchburg." 1803-1813. Owned and held by FP.

PR I (FP) - "Fitchburg, first Parish Book, and contains
the records of said Parish." 1805-C1849]. Owned and
held by FHS.

Miscellaneous records: ten Parish Assessors 1 Rate Books,
1805-1814. Owned and held by FHS.

B. Records of the Calvinistic Congregational Church
C 1803-1813 JT

CR I (CC) - "Church Book of Records." 1803-1811.
by FP and held by FHS.

Owned

CR II (CC) - "Records of the congregational calvinistic
Church in Fitchburg." 1810-1814. Owned by FP and held
by FHS.

CR III (CC) - "This Book Contains the Records of the Dona
tions Given to the Calvinistic Congregational Church in
Fitchburg in 1805. Also, The records of 'the Church 1 in
Fitchburg commencing with a meeting held Oct. 31 i 1823* "
Memoranda, 1805-C18233; church records, [1823-1832].
Owned and held by CC.

219

SR I (CC) - "Fitchburg, July AD 1805. This Book contains
the Record, of the Calvinistick Congregational Society in
Fitchburg." 1805-[1844]. Owned and held by CC.

C. Records of the merged church (1815-1823):

In addition to the items cited above as PR I (FP),
CR III (CC) and 3R I (CC):

CR II (FP) - Church Records, 1813-1868. Owned and held
by FHS.

Miscellaneous records: nine Parish Assessors 1 Rate 3ooks,
1815-1823. Owned and held by FHS.

P. Records of the First Parish (1825-present) :

In addition to the items cited above as CR I (FP),

CR II (FP) and the nineteen Parish Assessors' Rate Books:

CR II (FP) COPY - "Records of the first Church in Fitch-
burg." Copy for 1824-1825. Owned and held by FHS.

CR III (FP) - "Records of First Church, Fitchburg, Mass."
1868-1900. Owned and held by FP.

PR II (FP) - "First Parish Records - Book 2." 1850-1878.
Owned and held by FP.

PR III (FP) - "Records of First Parish, Fitchburg, Mass."
1879-1908. Owned and held by FP.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books (FP),
1824, 1825, 1827, 1828, owned and held by FHS; Parish
Treasurer's Accounts (FP), 1814-1850 (owned and held by
FP), 1854-1870 (owned and held by FHS); Pew Deeds (FP),
1837-1852, 1851-1875, 1896-1909, owned and held by FP;
Parish Registers (FP), 1845-1883, 1883-1959, owned and
held by FP.

The First Parish also owns and holds the records of the
First Universalist Church of 1858, with which it merged
during the 1940' s.

Since the Calvinistic Congregational Church of 1823 lies
outside the scope of this inventory, it needs only to be
remarked that its records from that date to the present
are complete.

220

See Rufus C. Torrey, History of the Town of Fitchbur h
Massachusetts . Comprising: Also a History of EuSeSESre ,
Its First Settlement to the Year 1764^ "gjtchbur^'
rep. 1865^; George A. Hitchcock, A History of

the

Calvinistic Congregational Church and Society , Fitchburn: ,
nassachusetts IFitchburr:. 1902): and the five volunes of
Proceedin gs of the Fitchburp; Historical Society , published
at Fitchburg between 1895 and 1914.

F0RTY-HIL3 I?IV3R, Indian Church (see Grafton, Hassanamesit
Indian Praying Town and Church).

F0X30R0, Bethany Church (C).

The church was gathered on Nov- 25, 1779- The Trustees
of the Ministerial Fxmd were incorporated in 1824. A
society was organized in 1853, and in 1855, church and
society took the names Orthodox Congregational Church and
Society. At the recent incorporation of the church, the
name Bethany Congregational Church was adopted.

Ministers: Thomas Kendall
Daniel Loring

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. 1786; dism. 1800
(ord. 1304; dism. 1806

Deacons: Ijeheniah Carpenter (e. 1786; d. 1799)

Nathaniel Clark (e. 1736; d. 1823)

Spencer Mod.ces (e. 1799; d. 1309)

Samuel Jaker (e. 1805; d. 1821)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Foxboro Church Records. Vol. I." 1779-1799.

221

CR II - "Foxborough Church Records, from February 5"th,
1800 Foxboro' Vol. III." 1800-1840.

CR III - "Vol. IV." 1821-1855-

CR IV - "Orthodox Congregational Church Foxborough Mass.
Vol. 5-" 1855-1878.

CR V - "Volume 6. Records of Orthodox Congregational
Church Foxborough, Mass. Beginning May 23d. 1878."
1878-1910.

VS I - "Church Records Vol. 5-" Admissions, 1794-1860.

VS II - "; Catalogue of the Pastors Deacons and Members
of the Congregational Church in Foxboro from Its Organiza-
tion." 1786-1915.

VS III - "Horace Carpenter Clerk of 'Bethany 1 Orthodox
Congregational Church. Foxborough, Mass." Vital statis-
tics, 1886-1915.

SR I - Society Records, 1853-1897.

Miscellaneous society records: Assessors' Rate Books,
1885-1890, 1885-1897, 1885-1899; Society Treasurer s Ac-
counts, 1856-1915; Pew Deeds, 1858-1903.

FRAMIITGHAH, First Parish (U).

Plymouth Congregational Church (.o;.

The church was gathered on Oct. 3, 1701, the First Parish
being organized in 1826, shortly before tne withdrawal of
the orthodox majority of the church.

1. The orthodox body, originally the Hollis Evangelical
Church, more recently named the Plymouth Congregational
Church, also claims the 1701 date.

222

Ministers :

John Swift
Matthew Bridge
David Kellogg, D.D.

Cord. 1701; d. 174-5)
(ord. 1745/46; d. 1775)
(ord. 1781; led the ortho-
dox withdrawal 1850:
d. 1843)

Ruling elders : none

Deacons: David Rice

Joshua Hemenway

— — Harrington

Daniel 3tone
Moses Haven

Bridges

3ns. John Adams
Moses Pike
Peter Balch
Jonathan Morse
Moses Learned
Daniel Stone

Haven

William Brown

Gideon Haven

Capt. Thomas Buckminster

Matthias Bent, Jr.

d.

m.

1720)
1722)

m. 1728)

m.
d.

1746)
1755)

U 1701;
>. 1701:

u 1705)
u 1710)

». 1717;

t. 1719)

• 1726;

. 1743:

i. 1746)

. 1751;

. 1759)

. 1763;
Cm. 1760-1780)
(e. 1771; m. 1775)
(e. 1782)

(e. 1794)

(e. 1794; res. 1816)

res. 1782)
res. 1782)

There are no records antedating 1717; the extant records
are owned and held by the First Parish.

CR I - Church Records, 1717-1830.

CR I COPY - "First Parish Church, of Framingham, Church
Records, 1717-1830." Two WPA typescript copies made 1937
1938; one owned and held by the church, the other by the
local public library.

CR II - Church Records, 1830-1854, 1863, and 1867-1872.
PR I - Parish Records, 1826-1847.
?R II - Parish Records, 1848-1873.

PR II COPY - "First Parish Church of Framingham, Church
Records, 1848-1873. WPA typescript copy made 1937-1938.

1. Incorrectly cited as church records by Sail Oberholzer,
Jr., Delinquent Saints (New York, 1956), p. 345-

223

Miscellaneous records:
1852-1892.

Parish. Treasurer's Accounts,

FRAMINGHAM, Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in October of 1746, and was some-
times called the Second Church in Framingham; by 1757, it
had become extinct.

Minister: Solomon Reed (ord. 1746/4-7; rem. 1756; d„ 1785)

Ruling elders and deacons: there being no extant records,
nothing is known of the lay officers of this church.

See C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New 2n gland ,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962.), p.~5l3T"

FRAMINGHAM CENTER (see Framingnam) .

FRANKLIN, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on Feb. 16, 1738 as the Second
Church in Vrentham, the Second Precinct having been in-
corporated in 1737* Church and parish became the First
in Franklin, upon the organization of the town in 1778.
In 1914, the church was incorporated, and in 1941, it
federated with a local BaDtist church.

224

Ministers: Elias Haven (ord. 1738; d. 1754)

Caleb Barnum (ord. 1760; dism. 1768;

d. 1776)
Nathaniel Smmons, D.D. (ord. 1775; res. 1827;

d. 1840)

Ruling elders: Michael Metcalf (e. 1739; ord. 1742;

m. 1752)
Jonathan Wright (e. 1739; ord. 1742;

eta. ca. 1750)

Deacons: fianiel Kingsbury

John Whiting

Daniel Thurston
Jabez Fisher
Joseph Whiting, Jr.
James Metcalf
Peter Whiting

(e. 1739; ord. 1742;

m. 1750)

(e. 1739; ord. 1742;

m. 175D

>. 1754; d. 1785)

e. 1755; d. 1806)

e. 1779; d. 1826)

e. 1785; d. 1803)

e. 1805; d. 1805)

The records are owned by the church; some are held by the
church, others deposited at a local bank.

CR I - "The Records of the Second Church in Wrentham begun
on the 16th day of February Anno Domini 1737/8." 1738-
1781. At the bank.

CR II - "The 2d Volume of the Records of the Church in
Franklin. Begun A.D. 1781." 1781-1887. At the bank.

CR III - "Records First Congregational Church, Franklin,
Mass." 1887-1954. At the church.

VS MAR I - "A Record of Marriages In the 2d. Precinct of
Wrentham Beginning 21. April 1773- " 1773-1799. At the
bank.

VS MAR II - "A Record of Marriages in Franklin, beginning
January 1. A.D. 1801." 1801-1827. At the bank.

VS HOED - "A Bill of Mortality In the Second Precinct of
Wrentham Beginning at 21 day of April. 1773." 1773-1827-
At the bank.

VS RSG - Church Register, 1868-1914. At the church.

PR I - "Records." 1894-19U. At the church.

225

PR II - "Records." 1894-1913. At the church.

Miscellaneous records (at the church): Church Treasurer's
Accounts, 1889-1915; Records of Church Committee, 1377-
1914; Charitable Accounts, 1853-1914; Parish Treasurer's
Accounts, 1888-1893, 1893-1904; Records of Parish Commit-
tee, 1852-1889-

FREETOWN (C), extinct and reactivated.

The church was gathered on-. Sept. 30, 1747, and became
virtually extinct by 1775- On Feb- 4, 1827, the church

1. There is no evidence that the church was actually dis-
solved, as reported by Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on
the Custody and Condition of the Public Documents of Par-
ishes, Towns, and Counties" (Public Document No. 52),
Public Documents of Massachusetts . ■ . for the Year 1897
(Boston, 1898), II, 165.

Freetown (which originally included what is now Fall River;
had no regular religious services until 1704, when William
Way took up duties there as (unordained) preacher and
schoolmaster. After that, occasional preaching was supplied
successively by Rev. Samuel Danforth of Taunton, and ca.
1710-1711 by the later minister of Norton, Joseph Avery.
A Freetown selectman, Jonathan Dodson, was elected minister
in 1713, but apparently was never settled (see Orin Fowler,
History of Fall River , with Notices of Freetown and Tiver -
ton [Fali~River, 1841; rep. 1362J). "Thomas Craighead, an
ordained Presbyterian clergyman, ministered here from 1717
to 1741, but was never formally installed.
Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Cler- y and The Colonial

Churches of New l-Cnr^la nd

erroneously supposes

17 04, and another at

Brett of Freetown as

however, the Fall River church was

(Lancaster, tfass., 1936), p. 250,
there was a church at Freetown from
Fall River from 1776, and lists Silas
minister of both from 1747 to 1776;

:athered in 1816. Emil
Oberholzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints ^New York, 1956),
p. 353, similarly lists two churches, and reports all
records to be missing. C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separa -
tism in New 2n inland , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962),
p. 94, depending wholly on secondary sources, makes the 1747
Freetown church a Separate body, and claims it became Bap-
tist in 1775, removing in 1781 to Fall River and joining
the First Baptist Church there-

226

was (in the words of the records) "reorganized" by six
members of the old church, four persons transferring from
other churches, and five persons making professions of
faith. It took the name of the Freetown Congregational
Church of Christ, and so continues today.

Minister: Silas Brett (ord. 174-7; res. 1776; d. 1791)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacon: Samuel Read (e. 1748; d. 1791)

The records are owned by the Freetown Congregational
Church, and deposited at the Fall River Historical Society.

CR I - "Church Records, 174-7-1776." (Flyleaf: "The Rec-
ords of The Congregational Church of Christ Which was
Gathered in Freetown September 30th Annoq. Domini. 174-7.
174-7-1776.

")

CR II - "Church Records, 1827-1934." (Flyleaf: "The
Records of The Congregational Church of Christ in Freetown
Reorganized Lord's day Feb. 4th A.D. 1827.")

See_also The 3ristol County History and Directory for
6 (Boston, 1376), and Arthur S. "Phillips, The
•illlps History of Fall River (Fall River, 194-ZTT946),
3 vols.

GAGE30R0UGH (see Windsor).

GARDNER, First (C).

The church was gathered on Feb. 1, 1786, the First Parish
having been organized the preceding year. A secession in
1830 saw the formation of an Evangelical Church, which re-
united v/ith the parent body in 1867- The church was in-
corporated in 1922.

227

Minister: Jonathan Osgood (ord. 1791; d. 1822)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the absence of early
records, the identity of the lay officers is not known-
It is unlikely that the church ever employed ruling elders

There are no records antedating 1867; the extant records
are owned by the church and deposited in a local bank.

CR I - "Records of the First Congregational Church,
Gardner, Mass. Since the Union, Hay 14, 1867." Church
records, 1867-1896; vital statistics to present.

CR II - "Records of the First Congregational Church -
Church Committee's Report - Clerk's Report - Church
Meetings - Book 2 - 1897 to Incorporation of Church 1922."
1896-1922.

GAY HKAD, Indian Church (C), extinct.

It seems doubtful that this church was gathered (as some
authorities claim) in 1663-1666, the time of the conver-
sion of Sachem Metaark to Christianity. One source
records members in full communion being admitted and dis-
missed by 1674, which would argue full organization by
that year. However, the Cotton and Mayhew reports of
1674.-1675 are vague regarding the Gay Head church. By
1698, it enjoyed an active native ministry, and had seen
the completion of the meetinghouse (still standing in
1786 ) .

The last baptism in the church took place in 1784; by 1792,
the membership had been reduced to twenty-five persons,
all of whom soon after either ^died or were absorbed by Gay
Head's Indian Baptist Church.

1. The Gay Head Indian Baptist Church was gathered ca.
1694. Having resisted the attempts of Judge Samuel Sewall
to convert the members to Congregationalism in 1702, this
church is the only Vineyard Indian Church surviving today.
See "Diary of Samuel Sewall," MHSC, 5th Ser. , VII (1882),

397.

228

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: Gov. Thomas Mayhew, Sr,

John Cotton, Jr.

Sachem Metaark
John Hayhew

David Vuttnomanomin

Japeth (Pamc)hannit

Jonathan Amos

Elisha Paaonut'

(Vineyard governor;
sett. Edgartown 1658;
ministered to seven
Indian praying towns
and churches; d. 1681)
(Indian mission on
Vineyard 1664-1667;
ord. Plymouth First
1669, also ministered
to two dozen Indian
praying towns and
churches; rem. 1697;
d. 1699)

(converted 1663-1666;
Indian preacher;
d. 1683)

(sett. West Tisbury
1673, ministered to
six Indian praying
towns and churches;
d. 1688/89)
(Indian deacon from
1683; preacher here
and Oak Bluffs [San-
chacantacket] ; d. 1698)
(Indian preacher; sett.
16C3, also served
Chilmark [Nashuakem-
muck] and Oak Bluffs
[Sanchacantacket] :
d. 1712)

(Indian preacher; e.
deacon 1698 Edgartown
[Chappaquiddick] , e.
pastor 1703; d. 1706.
Also active here and
Oak Bluffs [Sanchacan-
tacket]; d. 1712)
(Indian preacher,
possibly successor to
Metaark in 1683;
d. 1?14)

1. Sometimes given as "Japeth Hannit, Jr."

2. Sometimes given as "Elisha Panoit."

229

Experience May he v/

Josiah Torrey
Daniel Shohkow

Abel Wauwompukque
Joash Pannos

Peter Ohquanhut
Nathaniel Hancock

Zachariah Mayhew

Zachariah Csooit
David Capy

(sett. Indian missionary 1694,
ministered to nine Indian
nraying tov/ns and churches;

d. 175*0

(ord. West Tisbury 1704, asso-
ciated with four Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1723}
(Indian preacner, ministering
here from 1693 and to praying
towns on the Elizabeth Islands
from 1709; d. 1?1B)
(Indian preacher from 1712;
also active near Gay Head;
d. 1722)

(Indian preacher, ord. here
1716; also active at Oak
Bluffs LSanchacantacket] ;
d. 1720)
(Indian preacher, ca. 1724-

1725)

(ord. West Tisbury 1727, asso-
ciated with three Indian praying
towns and churches; cism. 1756;
a. 1774)

(ord. Chilmarl: 1767, associated
with six Indian praying towns
and churches; d, lc306.)
(Indian preacher, ca. 1770}
(Indian preacher, ca. 1770)

As is the case with all of the Indian cnurches except
liatick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

GEORGETOWN, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 4, 1732 as the Second
Church in Rowley, the Second or West Parish having been
incorporated tne preceding year. When Georgetown was

1. Sometimes given as

II "Z

rpnuos" or "Panneu."

2?0

made a town in 1338, church and parish took the title of
First Church and Parish.

A secession during the years 175^-1770 resulted in the
formation of a Hew Light conventicle which eventually
adopted Baptist principles. The divisive results are il-
lustrated by the fact that it took eight years and the
hearing of sixty-three candidates before church and parish
could agree on a successor to the first minister.

Ministers: James Chandler (ord.
Isaac Branan (ord.

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : William Fiske

William Searle ,
Capt. Abner Spoffard
Capt. Richard Thurston

Stephen ttL.gbJ.ll

Jeremiah Searle

Col. Daniel Spaford

Thomas Merrill

Moody Spafford, Esq.

1732; d. 1789)
1797; d. 1858)

(e. 1732;
e. 1732;

e. 1755;

e. 1761;
d. 1782)
(e. 1768;
d. 1783)
(e. 1784;

d. 1799)
(e. 1784;
d. 1803)
(e. 1797;
d. 1820)
(e. 1801;
d. 1828)

d. 1765
d. 1778
d. 1777
res. 1781

res. 1781

res. 1797

res. 1801

res. 1811

res, 1811

The records are church property and deposited at a local
bank.

S
CR I - "Kay 21. 1733- Price 15- This belongs to the
Second Chh of Christ in Rowley. Donum Pastoris 1733."
1752-1855.

CR I COPY - Photostat copy of CR I.

CR II - "Congregational Church Georgetown Mass,
(Flyleaf: "Record of the Congregational Church,
town, Mass. Vol. 2nd.") 184-9-1883-

George-

CR I & II DUP - "Church Record of the Congregational
Church Georgetown Mass Volume • 2d 1 Pastor's Book."
Minister's private copy of church records, 1842-1860.

1. Sometimes given as "Spaford" or "Spafford."

231

CR III - "Record of the First Congregational Church.
Georgetown, Mass. 1883- Vol. 3d." Church records, 1883-
1911.

VS I - "Congregational Church Georgetown, Mass." Church
register, 184-3-1919.

PR I - "The West Parish or Precinct Book, in Rowley.
October=5=1731." Parish records, 1731-1814.

PR I COPY - Photostat copy of PR I.

PR II - "Parish Records." 1815-1858.

PR III - MISSING, Parish Records, 1858-1870.

PR IV - "Records." 1870-1917-

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books,

1731-1871, 1825-1871; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1799-
1866.

[GEORGETOWN, Separate (C/B), extinct.]

In 175^, New Light members of the First Church of George-
town (then the Second Church of Rowley) withdrew from the
parish church and, with additional recruits from the neigh-
boring towns, inaugurated regular services of worship more
to their theological taste. This New Light conventicle
formally affiliated in 1781 with Haverhill's First Baptist
Church, becoming a branch church until strong enough to
become an independent Baptist church in 1784-1785.
Since it is impossible to determine whether a church was
gathered during the group's Separate Congregational phase,
this entry is bracketed.

Minister:

Eliphaz Chapman (sett. 1770; rem. 1772;

d. 1814)

232

Ruling elders and deacons: in the absence of any records,
nothing is known of officers who may have been appointed
(if a church was gathered) during the years 1754-1781.

See Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of Essex
County . Mass . (,BostonT~l865J , p. 24-5. Frederick L. Weis,
fee Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New
England (Lancaster, Mass., 1936; f p. 250, prematurely
identifies the separation of 1754 as "The First Baptist
Church of Rowley."

GERRY, Church and Parish (see Fhillipston).

GILL, Turners Falls (C).

The church was gathered on May 22, 1796, and the Gill
Congregational Society organized in 1821.

Ministers:

John Jackson
Jabez Munsell

ford. 1798; dism. 1801; d. 1844)
(ord. 1802; dism. 1805; d. 1832)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Shubel Hillman
Bascom

Reuben Shattuck

(d. 1805-1806)
Cm. 1806)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the
local library.

CR I - "Records of the Church in Gill. Massachusetts. "
Memoranda, 1796-1805; records, 1806-1830.

CR II - "Church records Vol. II." (Flyleaf: "Records
of the congregational church in Gill. Vol. II. Novr. 10.
1830.") 1830-1861.

233

CR III - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of Congre-
gational Church of Gill Mass, Volume 3.") 1864-1905.

SR I - "The Records of the Congregational Society in Gill,
March 12th AD, 1821." 1821-1849.

SR II - "Records of the Congregational Society of Gill.
Vol. 2." 1849-1908.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts,
1888-1903; Pew Deeds, 1849-1862.

GLASGO(W), Church (see Blandford).

GLOUCESTER, First Parish (U), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1642. The First Parish was
incorporated in 1742, and the Trustees of the Ministerial
Fund in 1826. Church and parish became extinct in recent
years.

Ministers :

Richard Blinman
William Perkins

John Emerson
John White
Samuel Chandler
Eli Forbes, D.D
Perez Lincoln

(sett. 1642; rem. 164S-1649;
d. 1687)

(sett. 1650, probably not
ord. ; e. schoolmaster 1651;
held "teaching elder's marsh"
rem. 1655 ?; d. 1682)
(ord. 1663; d. 1700)

ord. 1703; d. 1760)

inst. 1751; a. 1775)

inst. 1776; d. 1804)

ord. 1805; d. 1811)

Ruling elders: due to the absence of early records, the
names of the elders elected early in John White's ministry

234

are not known. It appears likely that the church em-
ployed such officers throughout most of the eighteenth
century.

Deacon John Parsons (e. 1756)

Deacon Philemon Warner (e. 1756; m. 1772)

Deacons: until 1705, there are no deacons' names recorded

Joseph Haskell
James Parsons
John Parsons
Philemon Warner

Sliezer Grover
Jeremiah Parsons
Nymphus Stacy, Sr.
Isaac x'arsons
Nathaniel Kinsman
Hubbard Haskell
Nymphus Stacy, Jr,

i

e. 1703)
,e. 1703)
(elev. to
(elev. to
m. 1772)
Ce. 1756)
(e. 1756)

ruling
ruling

elder
elder

1756)
1756;

(e. 1772)

Ce. 1772; d. ca. 1806)

Ce. 1772)

1. White reports: "I remember as Introductory to our
Election of Ruling Elders, towards Thirty Years ago, I
preached from those Words, Num. 11. 25* And the Lord came
down in a Cloud, and spake unto him, that is to Moses , and
took of the Spirit that was upon him, and r-ave it to the
Seventy elders . There is the residue oT~the Spirit to
furnish for every Office of Trust to which one and another
is chosen. And in that the Getting Ruling Elders was op-
posed by many in Town and Church , I preached another Ser-
mon from those Words in 2 Tim. 2. 25. In meekness
instructing those that oppose themselves . Reformations
are commonly attended with great Objections. Lay aside
then I pray, your objecting, and attend your duty." New
EnjtLands Lamentations . The Decay of the Power of Godliness ;
Z^e Danger of Arainian ?rTncioles ; The Declining State of
QU r church-Order , Government and Discipline . AddeaT
Reasons for adhering to our Plat form , and Answers to some
Objections against RulinTlSlders . 3y a Provincial Assem-
bly of Presbyterian, ^nisters at London , 1649 (Boston.

175^-77 P. 36. *

SSOnHAK, C3 I, entry for Nov. 16, 1747, testifies to the
existence of ruling elders at Gloucester's First Church
in that year.

235

The seventeenth-century records were noted as Hissing in
1891. The church records reported as extant in 194? and
covering the years 1703-1805, have since dropped from
sight. The extant records are owned and held by the Cape
Ann Scientific, Literary and Historical Association,
Gloucester.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1703-1805-

VS I - Anna H. Pickford, "Marriages from the Almanac Diary,
1761-1764, of Rev, Samuel Chandler of Gloucester, Mass.,"
NSHGR, LVI (1902), 318-319-

CR II - "No 2. Sept r 8th 1805 Gloucester." 1806-1849.

PR I - "Records of the Meetings and Actions of the first
Parish in Gloucester. Begun Janry 29- 1728/9." 1729-1834.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1834-1869-

PR III - Parish Records, 1869-1914.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors 1 Rate Books,
1817-1831, 1826-1836, 1832-1836; Parish Collector's Ac-
counts, 1730-1803, 1802-1834; Parish Treasurer's Accounts,

1803-1893.

GLOUCESTER, Second (C), extinct.

West Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational

Church (0).

The church was gathered as the Second Church in Gloucester
on Oct. 4, 1716, the Second Parish having been incorporated

1.
Glouc

p. 3.

John J. Babson, Notes and Additions to the History of
cester. Part Second : "Sarly Records {Salem, 1891;,

2. Frederick L. Weis, "Early Records of the Seventeenth
Century Churches in Massachusetts Which Became Unitarian,
UHSP, VII, ii (1941), 15-16.

236

four months earlier. The last settled minister ceased to
act in 1820, and for a time the church was supplied by
Universalist preachers, although there is no evidence that
a declaration for Universalism was ever made. In 1833,
the church was reorganized (including some members of the
Second Church) as the West Gloucester Trinitarian Congre-
gational Church, duly incorporated in 1893.

Ministers:

Samuel Tompson
Richard Jaques
Daniel Puller

ord. 1716;
ord. 1725;
ord. 1770;

d. 1724)

d. 1777)
eta. 1820;

d. 1829)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Ens. William Haskell

Jacob Haskell
John Sawyer
Nathaniel Haskell
Lt. Robert Choate
John Roberts
Stephen Haskell
Zebulon Haskell

(e. 1727; e. confirmed
173D

e. and e. confirmed 1731)

e. 1757; rem. 1764)

e. 1757; d. 1808

e. 1770; d. 1790

e. 1770; d. 1793

e. 1802; d. 1809

e. 1802; d. ca. 1833)

The extant records of the Second Church are owned and held
by the Cape Ann Scientific, Literary and Historical Asso-
ciation, Gloucester. Records of the reorganized West
Gloucester Trinitarian Congregational Church, commencing
1839, are owned and held by that body.

CR I - "Records of the 2d Chh in Gloucester. Begun
March 23d-1723. by S.T. (Note misleading second title,
added by a leter hand: "Records of the Second Parish
[ sic ], Gloucester, Massachusetts.") Church records,
largely vital statistics, 1725-1840.

PR I - "The new precinct Book for the Clark — Clerks
Book." Precinct/parish records, 1716-1803.

PR I COPY - MS copy of PR I, made in 1935 hy Charles G.
Fogg.

See Daniel A. Puller, The Diary of the Rev. Daniel Fuller
(New York, 1894- ).

237

GLOUCESTER, Annisquam Village Church.

The church was gathered on June 11, 1728 as the Third
Church in Gloucester. Annisquam Parish (Gloucester Third
Parish) was incorporated in the same year. During
Leonard's ministry, the church adopted Universalist prin-
ciples, dropping that denominational affiliation early in
the present century. Briefly connected with the Community
Church movement, it is currently unattached to any denomi-
nation.

Ministers:

Benjamin Bradstreet
John Wyeth

Obediah Parsons
Ezra Leonard

(ord. 1728; d. 1?62)

(orcl. 1766; dism. 1768;

d. 1811)

(ord. 1772; dism. 1779;

d. 1801)

(ord. 1804; d. 1832)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to incomplete church records, the names of
only three deacons have survived.

James Davis , Esq. (e. 1734; d. 1776)
Samuel Griffen (m. 1772-1781)
Thomas Marrett (e. 1773; rem. 1781)

The early records survive in fragmentary form in a copy
made in 1804; they are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1728-

CR II - HISSING, Church Records,

-1804.

CR III - "The third Book of Records of the Third Church
in Gloucester Began at the Ordination of Ezra Leonard
AD 1804 Dec m 5." Church records, 1772-1781 (a copy), and
scattered nineteenth century votes; vital statistics,
1728-1781, 1804-1831, 1844-1875.

1. Described by Parsons, CR III, ?. 120, as "much
shattered & some leaves I suppose to be missing."

2. A note on p. 98 reads: "Let it be remembered that no
record of any Church meetings or even of the existence of
a Church can be found after the Death of Rev. Ezra
Leonard. No Record of Deaths or Births or Marriages under
the Ministries of Revs 2 Trull John Harriman G C Leach."

238

PR I - "Records (Annisquam Parish), 1728 to 1772, Town
of Gloucester." Some minor mutilations.

PR II - "Third Parish, Gloucester. Vol. 2." 1773-1831.

PR III - "Third Parish, Gloucester. Vol. 3." 1831-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books.
1818-1819, 1821-1823, 1826 (two copies), 1833-1834, 1834,
1843, 1866; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1833-1836, 1848-

GLOUCESTER, Fourth (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Oct. 27, 1743, the Fourth Pre-
cinct having been incorporated the previous year. Preach-
ing ceased after Rogers 1 death; thereafter the meetinghouse
was used by itinerant Methodist evangelists, until it was
abandoned in 1840.

Minister: John Rogers (ord. 1744; d. 1782)

Ruling elders and deacons: in the absence of any church
records, the name of only two deacons have survived, as
delegates to an ordination at Gloucester's First Church.

John Low
David Allen

(m. 1772)
(m. 1772)

See John J. 3abson, History of the Town of Gloucester .
Cape Ann, Including the Town of Rockport T Gloucester.
I860), pp. 226, 312.

1. No evidence has been found that the parish declared
for Universalism, as reported by Frederick L. Weis, The
Colonial Olerpzf and The Colonial Churches of New England
(Lancaster, Mass. , 1935), p. 251.

39

GLOUCESTER, Fifth Church and Parish (see Rockport)

GLOUCESTER, Sandy Bay Church (see Rockport).

GLOUCESTER, Third Church and Parish (see Gloucester,

Annisquam).

GOSHEN (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 21, 1780 as the Church in
Chesterfield Gore; the parish was organized in the same
year. The names were changed when the area became the
town of Goshen in 1781.

Minister: Samuel Whitman (inst. 1788; dism. 1818;

d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Oliver Taylor
Artemas Stone
Thomas Brown
Justin Parsons

(e. 1787; d. 1826)
(e. 1787; d. 1790)
fe. 1790; d. 1801)

1787; d. 1790)
1790;

1801)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1780-1798.

CR I COPY & II - "Copy of the Records of the Congrega-
tional Church in Goshen, December 21, 1780 to 1798. Then

2-4-0

Chesterfield Gore." Copy of CR I, 1780-1798; church
records, 1798-1820.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1820-1854.

CR IV - "Goshen Church Records." 1854-1887.

CR V - "Records of Congl Church in Goshen, Commencing
March 1st, 1888. Chh organized Dec. 21st, 1780." 1888-
1957-

SR I - "Book of Records for the Congregational Society,
Goshen, Sept. 8th, 1829." 1828-1842.

SR II - "Book of Records for the Congregational Society,
Goshen, April 15, 1844. Vol. 2." 1843-1854.

SR III - "Records of the Congl. Society, Goshen. 1855-
Vol. 3." 1854-1873.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1871-1959.

GRAFTOIT, Hassanamesit Indian Church (C), extinct.

Hassanamesit (or Hassanamisco) was established as a pray-
ing town in 1670 by John Eliot , and a church was gathered

24-1

here on Sept. 23, 1671- Whether the church, like the
praying town, survived the vicissitudes of King Philip's
War, is uncertain; it was extinct a number of years before
the gathering of the English church at Grafton in 1731 •
See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: Joseph TuckappawiH"

Job Kattenanit

Grindal Raws on

Janes "Printer"

(Indian preacher, active
here from 1669; eta.
1677)

(Indian preacher, here
and Ashland [Magunkog]
ca. 1675)

"Cord, Mendon 1684-, asso-
ciated with Indian pray-
ing town there;

d. 1714/15)

(Indian preacher, also

active at Uxbridge

[WaeuntugJ 1708;

d. ca. 1717)

Ruling elder: Piambohou (Natick Indian, ca. 1671)
Deacon: Naoas (ca. 1671)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of the church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

1. "23d of 7th [16713. A church of Indians gathered at
Nipmug, or Forty-mile River." Samuel Jennison (ed.), "The
Diaries of John Hull, Mint-master and Treasurer of the
Colony of Massachusetts Bay. From the Original Manuscript
in the Collection of the American Antiauarian Society.
With a Memoir of the Author," AASTC, III (1857), 231.
GRAFTON, CR I, p. 3, states: "Note. The Indian church
which was gathered in This place was The second native ch
in N E: it was formed either by Rev John Eliot or some
one raised up Thro his instrumentality — It is said to
have been one of The most permanent establishments of The
kind &c yet it wd seem as if it continued but a short time
in its original state. It was formed in 1671 & three
years after contained, it is said, about 16 members living
in y town, besides several residing in other places. But
60 years after, as appears from this Book, it was necessary
to form another, and none were natives probably."

2. Sometimes given as "Tukapewillin, " "Tuppukkoowelim,"
or "Tappakkoowillim. "

242

GRAFTON, The Congregational Church (C).

Unitarian Congregational Society (U).

The church was gathered on Dec. 28 , 1731 as the Church in
Hassanamisco. Old Lights opposed to the minister withdrew
in 1743i out returned to the church after his dismissal
Tour years later. However, a New Light secession in 1751
had quite different results, for by 1767 these persons had
been absorbed into Grafton's First Baptist Church.
The doctrinal controversies of the early nineteenth century
saw the orthodox majority of the Grafton church withdrawing
to organize the Evangelical Congregational Church in 1831.
The following year, they created the Evangelical Congrega-
tional Society, and in 1837 obtained incorporation for the
Proprietors of the Evangelical Congregational Meeting House
The town church, consisting then of persons of Unitarian
sympathies, reorganized; its related prudential body took
the name of The Congregational Society, and in 1864 the
Proprietors of the Congregational Church received incorpo-
ration.

Ministers: Solomon Prentice (ord. 1731; dism. 174-7

d. 1773)
Aaron Hutchinson (ord. 1750; dism. 1772

d. 1800)
Daniel Grosvenor (ord. 1774; dism. 1788

d. 1834)

(ord. 1796; dism. 1826

d. 1849)

John Miles

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: James Whipple
Samuel Cooper
Joseph Merriam
Abner Stow
Joseph Batchelder
Joseph Merriam, Jr.
Jonathan Stow

1732;
1732;
1742;
1750;
1765;
1790:
1790)

d. 1766)

m. 1744)

d. 1797)

d. ca. 1783)

m. 1789)

d. 1821)

The records are owned by the Congregational Church, and
deposited with the Town Clerk.

1. For the controversy regarding ownership of these
records, see Frederick C. Pierce, History of Grafton ,
Worcester County , Massachusetts , from Its Sarly Settlement
by the Indians in 164? to the Present Time , 1879 (Worces-
ter, 1879). Records of the Unitarian body date from 1835
and are not recorded in the inventory.

243

OR I - "The Church Book, Hasanamisco - March Hid AD 1775
1731/2." (Flyleaf: "A Book of Records of the Church of
Our Lord Jesus Christ att Hassanamisco Gathered the 28th
of December Anno Domni : 1731- " ) 1731-1774,

CR II - "Grafton Octr 19. 1774 — 1774. Records of the
church of Christ in Grafton from Octr 19 1774 to Aoril .
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Church of Christ in Grafton -
A.D. 1774.") 1774-1828.

CR III - "No, 3. Records of the Church of Christ in
Grafton from May 30. 1828. to January 1st 1877."

CR IV - "Records ~ Evangl. Cong. Church — Grafton, Mass. 1
1877-1929-

SR I - "Records of the Evangelical Congregational Society
in Grafton Organized February the 27th AD 1832." 1832-
1900.

Miscellaneous records: "Text Book 1838" containing church
business memoranda, 1838-1845; Society Assessors' Rate
Book, 1832-1869* 1862-1873.

GRAFTON, Old Light Separate Church (C), extinct.

A separation by Old Lights from the town church occurred
in 1743, the seceders proceeding to gather a Separate
church by 1747, as indicated by the following excerpt from
GRAFTON, CR I, 88: "The Chh of Christ in Grafton Voted to
accept the whole Result of the venerable Council conven'd
at Grafton July. 7th. 1747 The 2d Paragraph of which is as
follows. Secondly. In Answer to the Desire of the Chh
of Christ here respecting their separating Members both
Male & Female we are heartily greived to find that not-
withstanding the Solemn Precautions which have been
administred they have not only continued to Meet elsewhere
but have proceeded some of them so farr as to Sign another
Covenant and we Judge that they have been not only charge-
able with a disorderly breaking away from the Communion of
this Chh of Christ but that such their Combination &
covenanting together is very sinful & dangerous and is
matter of deep Lamentation by all."

24A

With the dismissal of New Light Solomon Prentice by the
town church in 174-7, the Separates returned to the parent
body. 1

No records of this church are known to exist, nor is there
any data on its lay officers (if such were elected).

GRAFTON, New Light Separate Church (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on March 20, 1751 by New Lights
who had seceded from the town church, following the dis-
missal of New Light Solomon Prentice. It was absorbed by
Grafton's First Baptist Church, organized in 1767.

Minister: Sbenezer Vadsworth (ord. 1751; eta. 1767)

No records of this church are known to exist, nor is there
any data on its lay officers. See C. C. Goen, loc. cit.

GRANBY (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 5, 1762 as tne Second or
East Church in South Hadley, the Second or East precinct
having been organized slightly earlier. The town of
Granby was incorporated in 1768, and the church and parish
took the title of First Church and Parish.
In 1821, the First Parish divided into East and West Par-
ishes (continuity remaining with the former body) and
independent churches were established; fifteen years later,
the churches and parishes were reunited.

1. Not having read the church records, C. C. Goen is
unaware of the fact that a church was gathered by the
seceding Old Lights. Revivalism and Separatism in New
2nj£land, 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962.), pp . 56 ,
314-

245

Ministers: Simon Backus (ord. 1762; dism. 1784;

d. 1823)
Benjamin Chapman (ord. 1790; dism. 1796;

d. 1804)
Elijah Gridley (inst. 1797; d. 1854)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: there being no extant early records, the only
deacon-, of whom anything is known is Nathan Smith (m. 1779-
1782).

It was noted in 1875 that there are no records antedating
1821; the extant records are owned by the church and
deposited at the local library.

CR I - Church Records, 1821-1858.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1858-1913.

PR I - "Records of the east religious Society in Granby."
1825-1844.

PR II - Parish Records, 1845-1876.

PR III - Parish Records, 1877-1913-

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1846-
1874.

1. The Deacons John Smith I and John Smith II mentioned
in the early parish records were officers of the South
Hadley church.

2. Magna] of the Church of Christ in Granby , Mass ., in-
cluding a Historical Sketch , Articles of gaith . B aptismal
Covenant for Children , and the Executive Rules . August ,
187^ CSpringfield, 1875TT"

246

GRANBY, East Church and Parish (see Granby, First)

GRAHVILLE, First, Federated (C).

The church was gathered in 1747- Successive partitionings
of the town into two and then three parishes found the
church located in the area known first as Granville (to
1784), then East Granville, and finally as Granville and
Granville Center-
Trustees of the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in
1797; the East Parish was reorganized in 1844. In 1937
the church federated with local Baptists.

Ministers: Moses Tuttle

Jedidiah Smith

Timothy Mather Cooley, D.D.

(ord. 1746/47;

rem. 1752-1753;

d. 1785)

(ord. 1756;

disnu 1776; d. 1776)

(ord. 1796; d. 1859)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Justus Rose
Luke Hitchcock
Samuel Coe
Ephraim Howe
Isaac Bartlett
William Cooley
Timothy Rose

1757; d. 1781)

1758; d. 1775-1777)

1759; d. 1790)

1791; d. 1806)

1791-1793; res. 1796; d. 1817)

1793-1798; d. 1825)

1797; rem. 1808; d. 1813)

There are no records antedating 1791; the extant records
are owned and held by the church.

1. The second church (1781) of Granville was located in
the area known successively as the Second or West Parish,
the Middle Parish, and (today) West Granville. The third
church (1798) was situated in what became known succes-
sively as the Third or West Parish, today the town of
Tolland.

247

CR I - "Records of the first Church of Christ in Gran-
ville." 1791-1821.

CR II - "Church records of the first Church of Christ in
Granville . " 1821-1848 .

CR III - "Records of the First Church of Granville."
1846-1861.

CR I, II, III COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Records of the
First Church of Christ in Granville: A book for the First
Church of Christ in Granville." Copy of church records,
1791-1861, owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum
(Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

CR IV - "Records of Congregational Church, East Granville,
Mass., beginning June 30th 1859." 1859-1881.

CR V - "Church Records." 1881-1902.

PR I - "Granville East Parish Records." 1844-1926.

See Albion 3. Wilson, History of Granville . Massachusetts
(Hartford, 195*).

GRANVILLE, Second (West) (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 19, 1781 as the Second
Church in Granville, being located in the area succes-
sively designated as West Granville, Middle Granville,
and (with the incorporation of the town of Tolland) West
Granville.

Ministers:

Lemuel Haynes
Aaron Booge
Joel Baker
Ruling elders: none.

(sett. 1781; ord. 1785;

rem. 1785)

(inst. 1786; dism. 1796;

d. 1822)

(ord. 1797; dism. and d. 1833)

248

Deacons: Col. Timothy Robinson (e.
Capt. Aaron Coe
Lt. David Parsons
Elihu Adkins
Cornelius Kerry
Roger Adams
Capt. Elihu Pomery

The original records, extant in 1901,
disappeared.

1786;
1786)
1797;
1797;
1798;
1803;
1805)

d. 1804)

d. 1820)
d. 1825)
rem. 1803)
res- 1805)

have since

C3 I - MISSING, Church Records, 1781-1836.

CH II - HISSING, Church Records, 1833-1885.

CR I, II COPY - Hollin H. Cooke, "West Granville, Mass.
& Middle Granville, Mass. Records of Congregational
Church." Copy of church records, 1781-1885, made in 1901;
owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collec-
tion), Pittsfield.

GRANVILLE. East Church and Parish (see Granville, First,
Federated).

GRAiTVILLE, Second Church (see Granville, West),

GRANVILLE, Third Parish and Church (see Tolland).

1. The 1901 location of the records reported by Cooke
cannot be verified today.

24-9

GRANVILLE, West Parish and Church (see Tolland)

GREAT BARRINGTON (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 28, 174-3 as the Second
Church in Sheffield. The North Parish of Sheffield had
been organized in 174-0, and was incorporated in 1761, when
the area was made the town of Great Barrington. The Prot-
estant Congregational Society was incorporated in 1791-

Ministers:

Samuel Hopkins, D.D
Isaac Foster
Elijah Wheeler

(ord. 174-3; dism. 1769;

d. 1803)

(ord. 1787; dism. 1790;

d. 1794- )

(ord. 1806; res. 1823;

d. 1827)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons :

Jonah Pixley
Timothy Hopkins
Israel Root
Daniel Nash
Elijah Kingsley
Eleazar Barritt

(e. 174-3; d. 1759)

(e. 1753; d. ca. 1773)

(e. 1773; d. 1809)

(e. 1773; d. 1794-)

(e. 1797)

(e. 1800; rem. 1816)

The records are owned and, unless otherwise noted, held
by the church.

C COV - Original covenant and confession of faith, 174-3;
signed by Samuel Hopkins et alii . MS owned and held by
the Congregational Library, Boston.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 174-3-1753. 1

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1753-1835.

1. CR II ABSTRACT & II, p. 31, contain a memorandum in
the handwriting of the minister who served from 1837 to
1850, stating the loss of all records antedating 1753-

250

CR II ABSTRACT & III - "Records of the first Congregational
Church In Great Harrington from its establishment till
January 1, 1870." Partly an abstract, partly a copy of
church records, 1753-1835; church records, 1835-1870.

CR II ABSTRACT & III COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Great Barring-
ton, Mass., Congregational Church." Copy made in 1900,
owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collec-
tion), Pittsfield.

CR IV - "Vol. 2. Records of the first Congregational
Church, 1st Jany. A.D. 1870 to Jan. 1st, 1919."

VS I - "(3) Congregational Church of Great Barrington,
Mass." Register of church officers, 174-3-1935 (many
errors); admissions, 1809-1929.

GRSMFiSLD, First (C).

The church was gathered on March 28, 1754, and the First
Parish incorporated in the same year. Church and parish/
society were incorporated as one body in 1954.

Ministers: Bdward Billings

Roger Newton, D.D.

Ruling elders: none.

Beacons: Benjamin Hastings
.Sbenezer Graves
David Smead
Jonathan Leavitt, Esq.
Solomon Smead, Esq.
Proctor Purvis

(inst. 1754; d. 1760)
(ord. 1761; d. 1816)

(e. 1762)

(m. 1766;

(e. 1773;

(e. 1799;

(e. 1805)

(e. 1805;

res. 1805)
res. 1805)
m. 1802)

rem. 1806)

There are no extant records for the first pastorate.
Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "Record of the First Church in Greenfield, from
Nov. 18. 1761 the date of the Ordination of Rev. Roger
Newton, to 1812 — Births, Marriages, Deaths &c with a

251

personal Diary Kept by Mr. Newton." Owned and held by the
Pocumtuck Valley Historical Association, Old Deerfield.

VS I HJB - Francis M. Thompson, "Extracts from the Diary
of Rev. Roger Newton, D.D., of Greenfield, Mass. " NEHGR,
LXII (1908), 263-273.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1812-1852.

CR III - "Records." 1852-1908.

PR I - Parish Records, 1817-1884.

SR II - "Record." Society records, 1885-1928.

Miscellaneous records: MS copy "Results of two Councils
held at Greenfield Dec. 12, 1753 and Men 29. 1754- When the
church at Gfd was established an Edward Billing Settled as
Minister - Jona. Ashley and Jona. Edwards Moderators,"
owned and held by the Pocumtuck Valley Historical Associa-
tion; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1895-1930.

GREENWICH, First (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Dec. 20, 174-9 as the Church in
Quabbin Parish. The parish was set off by the General
Court in 1739 and incorporated ten years later; formerly
it was part of Narragansett Township No. 4 (so-called
because it constituted a grant to soldiers who had helped
put down an uprising among the Narragansett Indians).
In 1787 the town was divided into two parishes, the North
containing the 1749 church, and the South later to become
the town of Enfield.

The church became extinct when the creation of the Quabbin
Reservoir in 1936 destroyed Greenwich and the neighboring
towns. Before disbanding, however, the church organized
the Greenwich Church Foundation and Memorial, whose
moderator and trustees are by requirement of the charter,
the pastor and officers of the East Congregational Church
of Ware.

Ministers: Peletiah Webster

Robert Cutler
Joseph Blodgett

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: David Powers

Simon Stone

Nathan Fisk

Capt. Luke Hitchcock

Nehemiah Stebbins

Szra Alden

Deacon Roland Clark

Andrew Sears

(ord. 174-9; dism. 1755;
do 1795)

(inst. 1760; d. 1786)
(sett. 1786; d. 1835)

(e. 174-9-1750 ; res. 1760;
d. 1773)

"e. 1761; d. 1785)
e. 1761; rem. 1772)
e. 1771)

e. 1777; d. 1804)
e. 1785; rem. 1801)
e. 1301; rem. ,1808)
e. 1802-1805)

There are no records antedating 1760; the extant records
are owned by the Greenwich Church Foundation and Memorial,
and deposited at a bank in Ware.

CR I - "The Records of the Church of Christ in Greenwich
from the Instalment of the Revd. Robert Cutler, Feby. y
13th 1760." 1760-1829.

CR II - "Records of the Church of Christ in Greenwich from
the Installation of the Rev. Joseph H. Patrick Nov, 17-
1830 — Greenwich Mass." 1850-1854.

CR III - "Church Record." "Record of the church in
Greenwich from the ordination of Rev. Edwd P. Blodgett
July 5th 1843." 1843-1894.

SR I - Society Records, 1865-1935-

Miscellaneous records: Records of "The Orthodox Parsonage
Corporation of Greenwich," 1848-1868.

See Donald V. Howe et alii , ^uabbin : The Lost Valley
(Ware, 1951)-

1. The Deacon Jonathan Burt who died at Greenwich in 1807
was probably not an officer of this church.

253

GREENWICH, North Parish (see Greenwich)

GREENWICH, South Parish (see Enfield).

GROTON, First Church (U).

The church was gathered on July 13, 1664, and the First
Parish organized in 1789 (reorganized in 1326). The
Trustees of the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in
1804 and reincorporated (under a slightly different title;

in 1814 - i • 1++.A

In or about 1776, a number of Tory sympathizers witndrew
from the church, and under the leadership of Rev. Samuel
Dana, organized a Presbyterian church, which by 1799 had
become extinct, its members returning to the parent body.

Ministers:

[John Miller
Samuel V/illard

Gershom Hobart

Dudley Bradstreet

Caleb Trowbridge
Samuel Dana

Daniel Chaplin, D.D

(sett. 1662; d. 1663)]
(ord. 1664; dism. 1676;

d. 1707)

(ord. 1679; rem. 1690;

returned., 1693; res. 1704;

d. 1707)

(ord. 1706; rem. 1712;

d. 1714)

(ord. 1714/15; d. 1760)

(ord. 1761; dism. 1775;

do 1793)

(ord. 1778; dism. 1826;

d. 1831)

Ruling elders: none

1. It does not aDoear that Samuel Carter, who supplied
the nulpit during hobart 's absence 1690-1693, was ever
settled over the church.

254

Whitney

Cm.

1708

John Farnesworth

(e.

1708

Thomas Tarbell

(e.

1709

Simon Stone, Sr.

(e.

1709

John Longley

Ce.

1722

Daniel Farnesworth

Ce.

1729

James Stone ■,
Joseph Farwell

(e.

1742

(e.

1750

Zachariah Longley

(e.

1766

Isaac Farnesworth

Ce.

1773

3enjamin Bancroft

Ce.

1773

Thomas Farwell

Ce.

1783

Samuel Lawrence

Ce.

1783

Amos Farnesworth

Ce.

1797

Samuel Rockwood

Ce.

1797

Deacons: due to the lack of seventeenth century records,
nothing is known of the Groton diaconate prior to 1708.

; res. 1709 or 1715)
; res. 1709 or 1715)
or 1715; d. 1757 ?)
or 1715; d. 1741)
; d. 1750)
; d. 1775)
; d. 1783)
; d. 1783)
; rem. 1797)
-, m. 1799)
; d. 1804)
; rem. 1790)
; m. 1817)
-1799; m. 1806)
-1799; d. 1804)

There are no records antedating 1706; the extant records
are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1706-1760.

CR I FUB - Samuel A. Green (ed..), "The Earliest Church
Records in Groton," GHS, I, x (1886, published 1887).
Complete publication of CR I, but rearranged in chrono-
logical sequence.

CR II - "Groton Church 3ook. " 1761-1797.

CR III - "Groton Church Book 1798. From 1797." 1798-1830.

CR II & III FUB - Samuel A. Green Ced.), "Early Church
Records in Groton," GHS . IV, i C1896, published 1899).
Publication of CR II and CR III, chronologically rearranged,
and nearly all disciplinary action omitted.

CR IV - "Records of the First Church of Christ in Groton."
1826-1880.

PR I - Parish Records, 1789-1803.

1. Joseph Farwell' s diary, which makes mention of some
church affairs, has been excerpted in NEHGR , XXXV (1881),
275-276.

255

PR II - Parish Records, 1803-1816.

PR III - Parish Records, 1816-1831, 1839.

PR IV - MISSING, Parish Records, 1831-1847.

PR V - "Records of the first Parish, Groton." 184-7-1861.

PR VI - "Records: Groton, First Parish." 1861-1914.

rtLscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Book, 1815
1843; "Barron & Sawtell Charity Fund" Accounts, 1833-1922

GROTON, West Parish (see Pepperell).

GROVELAND (C).

The church was gathered on June ?, 1727 as the Second
Church in Bradford. The Second or East Parish in Bradford
had been incorporated the preceding year. In 1850 the
oarish was made the town of Groveland, and the church took
the title of the Orthodox Congregational Church, incorpo-
rating in 1889, at which latter date the Congregational
Society (incorporated in 1851) was dissolved.

Ministers :

William Balch (ord. 1727; d. 1792)
Sbenezer Dutch (ord. 1779; d. 1813)

Ruling elder: Samuel Tenney is mentioned as a Groveland
ruling elder in CR I, r>. 99, and as a deacon, ibid .,
p. 582. Actually he was an officer of the West or Brad-
ford Church, elected a deacon in 1713 and elevated to
ruling elder in 1718.

Although Manual of the Congregational Church of Groveland,
Mass . (Groveland, 18<5I) claims him to have been elected a
deacon at Groveland in 1727, it is uncertain if Tenney

256

1727;

d. 1748)

1728;

d. 1759)

174-7;

res. 1764: d. 1786)
rem. 1764)

1759;

1764;

d. 1777)

1764;

res. 1777; d. 1783)

1779;

res. 1797; d. 1806)

1779;

d. 1798)

1797;

d. 1826)

1800;

d. 1809)

1805;

d. 1840)

actually terminated his membership and office at Bradford.
He probably maintained a relationship with both churches,
one formal, the other informal, until his death in 1740.

Deacons: Richard Bailey (e.

William Hardy, Jr. (e.

Jonathan Tenny (e.

Nathaniel Jewett (e.

Timothy Hardy (e.

Philip (Penny (e.

William Balch, Jr. (e.

Thomas Tenny (e.

William Tenny (e.

Phineas Garleton (e.

Daniel Stickney (e.

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by
the church.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1727-1787.

CR I COPY GR0V3 - "Congregational Church Records." Copy
made in 1837 of church records, 1727-1887; continued
through 1903.

CR I COPY CONG - Copy owned and held by the Congregational
Library, Boston.

VS I - "Groveland Church Records, SgC, LIX (1923), 81-85.
Admissions and dismissions, 1727-1800.

PR I - "Parish Records Book 1st beginning AD. 1726."
1726-1813.

PR II - "Parish Records Beginning March 2, 1814-." 1814-
1889.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Book, 1738-
1859; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1795-1851, 184-9-1901.

257

HADLSY, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 22, 1659; its society was
organized during the nineteenth century, and the two incor-
porated as a single entity in 1920. The Trustees of the
Congregational Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1824.

Ministers:

John Russell, Jr.
Isaac Chauncy
Chester Williams
Samuel Hopkins, D.D

(inst. 1659; d. 1692)
ord. 1696; d. 174-5)
ord. 1740/41 i d. 1753)
ord. 1755; d. 1811)

Ruling elders: the only list of the church's lay officers
is given in CR I at the hack of the volume, and at least
two hands are distinguishable in the prefacing of names
with the symbol (*0 which designates ruling elders. The
later hand has applied the symbol to the sixth through
the sixteenth names indiscriminately, suggesting that only
the designations inscribed by the earlier hand are to be
trusted.

William Goodwin
Peter Tilton
Philip Smith

(rem. ca. 1670)
fd. 1695)
(d. 1685)

Deacons: if we are correct, the remaining names are those
of deacons, given in the following order:

Nathaniel Dickinson
Richard Goodman
Samuel Church
Nathaniel White
Samuel Smith
John Smith
Ichabod Smith
Samuel Dickinson
Joseph Eastman
Nathaniel Montague
3nos Nash
David Smith
Jonathan Smith
John Eastman
Sleazar Porter
Oliver Smith
Charles Phelps
Seth Smith

\

d. 1676)

d. 1676)

d. 1684)

d. 1741)

rem. 1706)

d. 1727)

d. 1746)

d. elsewhere 1746)

d. 1769)
d. 1753)
d. 1768
d. 1771
d. 1774;
d. 1798

d. 1797)
d. 1808)
d. 1314)
d. 1828)

258

The records for the years 1659-1765 were destroyed in a
parsonage fire in the latter year. There is no trace of
the records for 1765-1832, and it may be that they were
sequestered by some church officer at the time of the
secession of the persons constituting the Upper Mills (now
North Hadley) church in the latter year. The extant
records are owned and held by the church.

Cfi I - MISSING, Church Records, 1765-1852.

CR II - "Church Records." 1852-1955.

SR I - "Records, First R[eligious] Society." 1853-1920.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1832-1912.

printed in The Daily Hampshire Gazette for Apr. 30, 1959)
incorporatesThe findings of FraSc H. Smith, unavailable
elsewhere.

HADLEY, Sast Church and Precinct (see Amherst).

HADLEY, Second Church and Precinct (see South Hadley)

HADLEY, Third Church and Precinct (see Amherst).

259

HALIFAX (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 16, 1734, and was some-
times referred to as "the church in Kiddleborough and
Halifax." The church was incorporated in 1394.

Ministers :

John Cotton

William Patten

Sphraim Bri^rcs
Abel Richmond

(ord. 1735; dism. 1755;

d. 1789)

(ord. 1758; dism. 1765;

d. 1775)

(ord. 1767; d. 1799)

(ord. 1800; dism. 1832;

d. 18^-3)

Rulinir elders: none.

Deacons: Samuel Gturtevant
David Bosworth
Isaac Tinkhara
Jonathan Bosv/orth
Robert Waterman, Jr.
Thomas Croade
Hoses Cushman
Lt. Barnabas Thomson
Joseph Bosworth
Jacob Thomson

311is Holmes

(e.
(e.
(e.

e.

e.
(e.
(e.
(e.
(e.
(e.

o «

re

(e.

1735)

1755; d. 1747)

1735; rem. 1755)

1741)

1741: m. 1751)

1747)

1757

1752

1762

1769; suspended and

1306)
ca. 1300)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at the
Town Hall.

OS I - "This Book contains y e Records of the Chh of Christ
in Halifax Began 0ct° 16, 17?4." 1734-1333.

CR I COPY - Typescript copy.

CR I PUB - "Halifax Church Records," D, .CCVI (1924), 176-
184, XCTII (1925), 24-35, 117-122, 17^186. Uncompleted
publication project: some church records to 1743, bap-
tisms to 1779, owners and renewers of the covenant to 1795

CR II - Church Records, 1332-1391.

1. See "Deacon David Bosworth 1 s Will," KD, jCXVII (1925),
79-81.

260

CR III - Church Records, 1892-1913-

PR/3R I - "Records of the Parish or Congl. Society of

Halifax, Mass." 1885ff.

Hiscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1825-
1867.

HAMILTON

First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 12, 1714 as the Third
Church in Ipswich, the Parish of Ipswich Hamlet having
oeen incorporated the previous year. Hamilton was made
a town in 1793 i the title of church and parish being
changed to First. The First Congregational Parish was
incorporated in 1829 and dissolved in 1884, when it was
succeeded by the duly-incorporated First Congregational
Society.

Ministers :

Samuel Wigglesworth (ord. 1714; d. 1768)
Hanasseh Cutler, D.D. (ord. 1771; d. 1323)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Gilbert

Matthew Whipple IV
John Thorn
John r'atch, Jr.
Nathaniel Whipple
Matthew Whipple

(e. 1714, d. 1723)

(e. 1714; d. 1764)

(e. 1723; d. 1758)

(e. 1758; d. 1775-1789)

(e. 1764; d. 1809)

(e. 1794; d. after 1815)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "The Third Church of Ipswich's Book." 1714-1745,
largely vital statistics. Some pages have been removed.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1745-1778.

CR I COPY, II, III - "The Records of the Third Church of
Christ in Ipswich, Mass." Copy of CR I, memoranda for
1768-1778, church records for 1778-1850.

261

CR IV - "The Records of the First Congregational Church
of Christ in Hamilton, 1850." 1850-1962.

VS I - "Gleanings from the Records of the Church at
Ipswich Hamlet," EIHC, V (1865), 240. Twenty vital
statistics. Reprinted ibid., VI (1864), 111.

VS II - S. J. Spaulding, "Marriages in Hamilton, Mass.,
by Rev. Samuel Wigglesworth, 1714-1733," NEHGR, XXVI
(1872), 386-388.

VS III - "Ipswich Church Records," EIHC, LVIII (1922),
23-24. Dismissions, 1773-1784.

PR I - "Records of Town Meetings." Town meeting records,
1712-1736; precinct/parish records, 1713-1790.

PR II - MISSIKG, Parish Records, 1790-1834.

PR III - "Parish Records." 1834-1883.

SR III - "Society Records." 1833-1927.

Miscellaneous records: Church Communion Accounts, 1846-
1901; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1829-1846; Pew Deeds,
1843-1871; Meeting House Records, 1842-1858.

HAMPDEN, Federated (C).

Gathered in 1785, the church was known as the Church in
South Wilbraham or the South Parish in Wilbraham (the
latter incorporated in 1782). Hampden was made a town in
1878, and church and parish became the First in Hampden.
In 1881, the First Congregational Society was incorporated
The church federated with local Methodists and Baptists
in 1916.

Minister: Moses Warren (ord. 1788; d. 1829)

Ruling elders :
Deacons :

none

Enoch Burt

John Hitchcock

e. by 1788; d. 1809)
e. by 1788; d. 1807)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at the
Town House.

OH I - "Church Book." 1788-1795, 1807-1830.

CR II - "Church Records, 1785-1895. First Congregational
Church, Hampden, Mass."

HANOVER, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec* 11, 1728; the First Parish
was organized in 1806.

Ministers: Benjamin Bass (ord. 1728; d, 1756)

Samuel Baldwin (ord. 1756; dism. 1780; d. 1784)
John Mellen (inst. 1784; rem. 1805; d. 1807)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Stockbridge
Slijah Cushing
James Hatch
Isaac Buck
Thomas Josselyn
Thomas Rose
Samuel Barstow
Joseph Stockbridge"
Timothy Robbins
Joseph Brooks
Benjamin Bass

e. 1729;

e. 1729;

(e. 1733;

"e. 1733;

e. 1739;

e. 17^5;

e. 1745;

,d. 1783)

I m. 1784;

e. 1784;

;m. 1788;

d. 1773)
rem. 1746)
d. by 1744)

d. ca. 1745)
d. ca. 1786)
d. 1778)
d. 1801)

d. 1807)
m. 1818)
d, 1821)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at a
local bank.

1. The records do not distinguish between the two Deacons
Joseph Stockbridge, nor is there any record of the second
Joseph's election to the diaconate. But their tombstones
indicate that each served as a deacon, that Joseph Stock-
bridge (Sr.) died in 1773 at the age of 100, and that
Josetih Stockbridge (Jr.) died ten years later, aged 85«
See CR I, II, III PUB, pp. 280, 286.

263

OR I - "A Book of Records of the gathering settling &
administrations of the Church in Hanover as also Marriages
Births and Deaths in the said Town. It was made a Town
June 14. 1727." 1728-1756.

CR II - "A Continuation of the Church Records in the Town
of Hanover; — Book 2d — containing Admissions to full
Communion; — Dismissions from the Church; — Those That
have owned the Covenant and not Admitted to full Communion;
~ Baptisms; Deaths; Marriages; — And The Administrations
& Votes of the Church on Special Occasions." 1756-1811;
vital statistics to 1818.

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church of Christ
in Hanover Commencing with the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and nineteen And the ninety first year
from the first gathering of the Church. Vol. III."
1819-1867.

CR I, II, III PUB - L. Vernon Briggs (ed.), History and
Records of the First Congregational Church , Hanover , Mass . «
1727 - 1865 . and Inscriptions from the Headstones ancT Tombs
in the Cemetary at Centre HanoverT ~ Hass . , lffgT^lg^ff .
Being; Volume I. ol the Church and Cemetary Records of
hanoyer , Mass . (Boston, 1895). "Briggs ' publication gives
special emphasis to genealogical material. The material
is rearranged topically, and Briggs replaces entries he
considers too verbose with his own summaries and omits
items he considers unimportant.

CR IV - MISSING, Church Records, 1867-1885.

CR V - Church Records, 1885-1920.

PR I - "This Book belongs to the Northerly Precinct In
Hanover So Called and is for the purpose of keeping the
Clerk or Parish records Prise fiffty Cents Beginning
July 23d. 1806 being the day the Revd. Calvin Chaddock was
Reinstald in this place." 1806-1868.

PROP I - "Records of Proprietors of Parsonage House and
Lands in First or Central Parish Hanover." 1855-1873.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Accounts, 1785-1800;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1806-1875, 1889-1893, 1893-
1937; Records of Subscribers to Meetinghouse Fund, 1863-

1865.

264

HANSON (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 31, 1746 as the Church in
the Second Precinct and West Parish (the latter bodies
organized in 1746), and was frequently denominated the
Second Church in Pembroke. The Trustees of the Church and
Congregation in the Second Precinct were incorporated in
1795.

Hanson became a town in 1820, and the titles of the church
and parish (now society) were accordingly changed. The
society was dissolved in 1914.

Ministers :

Gad Hitchcock, D.D.

George Barstow

(ord. 1748; d. 1803)
(ord. 1803; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Daniel Hayford

John Bisbee, Jr.
William Phillips
Daniel Croocker
Jeremiah Stetson
Increase Robinson
William Delano
Oliver Whit tier
Jacob Be arc e

(e. 1749)

>. 1749; m. 1750)

. 1755-1761)

. 1755-1761)

. 1773)

. 1773; res. 1783

. 1783; rem. 1805

. 1805 )

. 1805)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, ca. 1749-1858. Sketchy, fragile
condition.

VS I - Mrs. Slroy M. Avery, "Baptisms in the Second Church
of Christ in Pembroke, Mass., from 1743 to 1803," NSHGR ,
XLIX (1895), 286-292, 426-430, L (1896), 177-183, 3T7=32l.

CR I COPY I & II - "The Records of the Congregational
Church of Hanson. Copied 1861." Copy of CR I, with
records 1858-1883.

CR III - Church Records, 1884-1904.

PR/SR I - Precinct Records, 1746-1319; Parish Records,
1820-1821; Society Records, 1821-1822.

SR II - Society Records, 1823-1901.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1836-190$; Records of Trustees of Church and Congregation,
1780-1914; Trustees Treasurer's Accounts, 1838-1914.

HARDWICK, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 17, 1736 in the district
or plantation known as Lambstown, which three years later
became the town of Hardwick.

In 1827 the orthodox majority of the church withdrew, and
formed the Calvinistic Church and First Congregational

Society.

The original church and parish heard a succession of supply

ureachers, most of them Universalists, and in 1841 agreed

to assist local Universalists (whose Society dated from

1824) in the building of a new meetinghouse. Thereafter,

the First Church and Parish were identified with the Uni-

versalist tradition.

In recent years, the Calvinistic Church and the First Church

have federated.

Ministers :

David White
Thomas Holt

William B. Wesson

(ord. 1736; d. 1784)
(ord. 1789; res. 1805;
d. 1836)

(ord. 1805; dism. 1824;
d. 1836)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Christopher Paige
Joseph Allen
Samuel Robinson
John Carpenter
William Paige
John Bradish
Ebenezer Willis
Nathaniel Paige

(e. 1736; res. 1749)

(e. 1736; d. 1793)

Ce. 1746; res. 1749)

(e. 1749; rem. 1769)

(e. 1769; d. 1790)

(e. 1774; rem. ca. 1778)

(e. 1785; d. 1813)

(e. 1785; rem. 1812)

There are no records whatsoever antedating 1820. The
extant volume of church records is owned and held by the
Calvinistic Church, the surviving book of (the Calvinistic;
Society's records by the Universalist body.

266

OH I - "Records." Vital statistics, 1820-1878: church
records, 1878-1920. '

SR I - Society Records, 1833-1915.

See Manual of the Calvinistic Congregationa l Church of
Hard wick , Mass . 1914- (n.o. . 19140?

HARDWICK, Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1750. In 1761, its members
moved en bloc to Bennington, Vt., where together with
Separates from Sunderland, Mass., they organized the First
Church of Bennington. Their number was quickly increased
by the arrival of the Separate Church from Newint, Ct. ,
Separates from Amherst, Mass., and finally the pastor and
members of the Westfield, Mass. Separate Church.
During its eleven years in Massachusetts, the Hardwick
church had no settled ministry, nor did it apparently ever
employ ruling elders.

Deacons: Capt. Samuel Robinson

James Fay

John Fassett

(e. deacon Hardwick Cal-
vinistic Church 17^6; res.
174-9; e. deacon Separate
Church and emigrated to
Bennington 1761; d. 1767)
(e. deacon Hardwick Sep-
arate Church and emigrated
to Bennington 1761; re-
turned to Hardwick 1777)
(possibly a Hardwick Sep-
arate Church deacon, emi-
grated to Bennington 1761:
d. 1794)

No records of the Hardwick Separate Church have survived.
See Isaac Jennings, Memorials of a Century . Embracing a
Record of Individuals and Events chiefly in the Early

1. The Bennington church records date from 1762, except
for some slightly older records of the Newint, Ct. church.

267

History of Bennington , Vt. and Its First Church (Boston,
1869); Lois K. Mathews, The Expansion of New England (New
York, 1909); C. C. Go en, "Revivalism and Separatism in New
England , 174-0 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962), p. 108.

HARTW00D (see Washington).

HARVARD, First Congregational Unitarian Church, Inc. (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 10, 1733 * and the First
Parish organized in 1820. Church and parish were incorpo-
rated as a single body in 1909-

Ministers: John Seccombe

Joseph Wheeler

Daniel Johnson
Ebenezer Grosvenor
William Emerson

(ord. 1733; dism. 1757;

d. 1792)

(ord. 1759; dism. 1768;

d. 1793)

(ord. 1769; d. 1777)

(inst. 1782; d c 1788)

(ord. 1792; dism. 1799;

d. 1811)

(ord. 1801; dism. 1813;

d. 1828)

Stephen Bemis
Ruling elders: Deacon Phineas Fairbanks (e. 1795; d. 1800)

1. In 1795, the church voted to employ the title of "elder"
for those deacons who had resigned the diaconate due to poor
health or old age. Four years later, it was further voted
that "the five elders of the church be a committee thereof
to attend to the discipline of the church, and particularly
to visit and admonish such of our brethren, as may be irreg-
ular in their walk with us, or in any way, lead an unchris-
tian life" (CR I, p. 268). In practice, the office appears
to have been merely honorific.

Commenting under date of July 19, 1795, Rev. William Bent ley
remarked that in Harvard's meeting house, "There is a Seat
for the Elders & for the Deacons before the Pulpit, which
gives two rows of pews on each side" ( The Diary of William
Bent ley , P.P. , Pastor of the East Church , Salem , Massachu -
setts (Gloucester, 19657, lit P« 153. Tfot every church
whose meeting house boasted an "elder's bench" actually em-
ployed ruling elders, however; e.g ., the church at Lexington
(see Bentley, op_. cit . , II, p. 14-7)-

1 268

Deacon Samuel Mead

(e. 1795; d. 1814)

Deacon Oliver Whitney (e. 1795; d. 1802)

Deacon Richard Harris, Jr. (e. 1795; d. 1798)

Deacon Amos Fairbanks (e. 1799; d. 1809)

Deacon Micah Stone

(e. 1799; d. 1806)

Deacons: Simon Stone

(e. 1733-1734; d. 1746) 1

John Laughton

(m. 1750; d. 1768)

Joseph Fairbank(s)

(m. 1751; res. 1766; d. 1772)

Joseph Haskell

(m. 1751; res. 1766; d. 1791)

Jonathan Whitney

(m. 1758; res. 1766; d„ 1773)

Phineas Fairbanks

(e. 1766; res. 1786; elev. to

ruling elder 1795; d. 1800)
(e. 1766; d. 1775)
(e. 1766; d. 1775)

Lemuel Willard

Jeremiah Laughton

Oliver Whitney

(e. 1766; res. 1781; elev. to

ruling elder 1795; d. 1802)

Samuel Mead

(e. 1775; res. 1786; elev. to

ruling elder 1795; d. 1814)

Richard Harris, Jr.

(e. 1775; res a 1795; elev. to

ruling elder 1795; d. 1798)

Amos Fairbanks

(e. 1786; res. 1798; elev. to

ruling elder 1799; d. 1809)

Isaac Whitney

(e. 1786; d. 1815)

Micah Stone

(e. 1787; res. 1798; elev. to

ruling elder 1799; d. 1806)

Israel Whitney

(e. 1798; res. 1807; dism.

from office for Universalism

1819)

Benjamin Kimball

(e. 1799; res. 1807)
(e. 1799)

Jacob Fairbanks

The records are church property, and unless otherwise noted.

are held by the church.

CR I - "Church Records Harvard 1733-1822." Held by the

Town Clerk.

CR II - "Records of the Pastor

of the First Parish in

Harvard. Continued from Vol. '.

1st. Including records re-

lating both to the Church & Society of said Parish." 1823-

1955-

PR I - "Parish Records Vol. I

." 1820-1909. Held by the

Town Clerk.

1. The Deacon Caleb Brown who

died at Harvard in 1758 was

apparently not an officer of this church.

269

HARVABD, Separate Church (C), extinct.

The history of Separatism at Harvard is obscure as to
when the Separate Church was actually gathered- On Dec. 5*
1751 » a committee of the First Church reported that ad-
vanced Separatist opinions were being propagated by
persons in the northeast corner of the town. These se-
cessionists had withdrawn from the worship and communion
of the church, and were encouraging lay exhorters to hold
forth in their homes. They further denied the churches
of the standing order (and the First Church of Harvard in
particular) to be true visible churches of Christ, insist-
ing that such true churches may contain only the regener-
ates.

At some point during the years 1753-1760, a Separate
preacher named Shadrach Ireland fled from Charlestown,
Mass., and took up residence at Harvard. He became pastor
of the Separate Church, in addition to his New Light
tenets teaching the doctrines of his own bodily immortal-
ity » spiritual marriage, and possibly the community of
goods and non-resistance. Ireland died in 1780, and the
Separate movement foundered, being swiftly absorbed by
Shakerism.

See Isaac Backus, A Church History of New - England (Boston,
1796), III, pp. 175-179; Seth ChandTer^ln Historical
Discourse Delivered before the First Congregational
3ociety~Tn Harvard , Massachusetts , October 22 , ^-882
(Boston, 1884); Henry 3. Nourse, History of the Town of
Harvard, Massachusetts . 1732 - 1893 (Harvard, ~Ig?A),
especially pp. 253-257; Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial
Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New £np;land (Lan-
caster, Mass. , 1936), pp. 115, 254-; C. C. Goen, Revivalism
and Separatism in New England , 174-0 - 1800 (New Haven and
London, 1962), pT>.~"35l, 314- -

270

HARWICH (C).

The church was gathered on Nov, 6, 174-7 as the Church of
the Second Parish and South Precinct of Harwich.

Ministers :

Sdward Pell ford. 174-7; d. 1752)
John Dennis (sett. 1756; res. 1760;

d. 1773)
Benjamin Crocker (sett. 1762; eta. 1765;

d. 1766)

(inst. 1766; d. 1773)

(1773-1792)

Cord. 1792; res. 1828;

d. 1841)

Jonathan Hills
Supplies

Nathan Underwood

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Nathaniel Doane (e. ca. 1743; d. 1756)
Sdward Hall (e. ca. 1748; d. 1797)
Gershom Hall
3d ward Hall
John Smith

(e. 1794- : rem. 1811)
(e. 1796)

The records are church property and unless otherwise
noted, are deposited at a local bank.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 174-7-1792. 2

CR II - "Records of the Church of Christ in Harwich, 1792-
Vol. II." 1792-1825.

CR III - Church Records, 1832-1855-

CR IV - "Church and Parish Meetings, 1855-1899- First
Congregational Church. Harwich."

PR I - "Records of the South Precinct, Harwich, Mass."
174-5-1803 . At the church.

PR I COPY & II - "Records of the South Precinct, Harwich,
Mass." Copy of PR I; parish records, 1803-1899-

1. The First or North Precinct is now the town of

Brewster.

2. Extant in 1885. See Carroll D. ..'right, Report on the
Custody and Condition of the rublic Records of Parishes ,
Towns, and Counties CBoston, 1839 )> p. 11 «

271

PR DUP - "The Book of Records for the South Parish of
Harwich, 1792-1857." Duplicate.

HARWICH, Separate Church of 1749 (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 23, 174-9 by Harwich New
Lights, and disbanded in 1789-

Kinisters: Joshua Nickerson (ord. 1749; rem. 1772;

d. 1791)
Samuel Nickerson (sett. 1773; eta. 1789)

Ruling elders and deacons: the only known lay officer is
the Deacon Sleasar Robbins mentioned in the records of the
Harwich church of 1747-

No records of the church survive. See Frederick Freeman,

The History of Cape Cod: The Annals of The Thirteen Towns
oT~ 3arnstable County TBoston, 1862), IT, p. 316; Joshua
Paine, A History of Harwich , Barnstable County , Massachu-
setts (Rutland, Vt„, 1937), ?. 364; C. C. Goen, Revivalism
and Separatism in New England , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and
Eondon, 1962), pp. "95, 230.

HARWICH, Separate Church of 1751 (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Dec. 11, 1751 by persons dis-
missed from the Harwich Separate Church of 1749» The
Baptist element of the 1751 church withdrew in 1757 "to
organize a church in harmony with their strict-communion

1. See Paine, loc. cit . ; Goen, pjD. cit . , p. 230.

272

beliefs; the remnants of the 1751 church were probably
absorbed by the 174-9 church.

Minister: Richard Chase

(ord. 1751; received adult bat>-
tism 1753; withdrew 1756-1757;
inst . Harwich First Baptist
Church 1756-1757; d. 1794)

There being no extant records of the church, nothing is
known of the lay officers of this church. See the biblio
graphical entry for HARWICH, Separate Church of 174-9.

HARWICH, First Precinct (see Brewster).

HARWICH, North Church, Precinct, Parish (see Brewster).

HARWICH, South Precinct and Parish (see Harwich).

HASSAKAHESIl (or HASSAN ArilSCO) Indian Praying Town and
Church (see Grafton, Hassanamesit Indian Praying Town and
Church ) .

273

HATFIELD (C).

The church was gathered at some point in 1670-1671; its
parish was organized in 1830. The two bodies were incor-
porated in a single entity in 1944.

Ministers :

Hope Atherton
Nathaniel Chauncy
William Williams
Timothy Woodbridge
Joseph Lyman, D.D.

Cord. 1670-1671; d. 1677)
(inst. 1683; d. 1685)
(ord. 1686; d. 1741)
Cord. 1739; d. 1770)
(ord. 1772; d. 1828)

Ruling elders:

none.

Deacons: in the absence of early records, a list of dea-
cons was extracted from the town records by the historians
of Hatfield. The dates of election given are conjectural

-1671; d. 1704
-1671; d. 1712
-1706; d. 1728
; d. 1750)
; d. 1745)
; d. 17^2)

; d. 1778)
; d. 1758)

; rem. by ^771)

; d. 1798 r

; d. 1808)

; d. 1788)

; d. 1833)

; rem. ca. 1806)

; d. 1855)

The loss^of all church records antedating 1772 was noted
in 1910;^ the extant records are owned and held by the
church.

1. Daniel W. and Reuben F. Wells, 1660 - A History of
Hatfield . Massachusetts - 1910 (Springfield, 1910/, p. 344

2. The first diaconal election recorded in the extant
records.

Edward Church

(e.

1670

John Coleman

(e.

1670

Samuel Marsh

Ce.

1704-

John White

(e.

1712

Nathaniel Dickinson

(e.

1726

Nathaniel White

(e.

1735

Samuel Bodman

(e.

1735

John Hubbard

Ce.

(e.

1746

John Belding

174-6

John Smith

(e.

1750

Simeon Waite

(e.

1764

Elijah Morton

(e.

1772

William Williams, Esq.

Ce.

1772

Obadiah Dickinson

(e.

1773

Jonathan sorter

(e.

1785

Lemuel Dickinson

It:

1785

Cotton Partridge

1799

3. Wells, p_£. cit . , p. 343. The authors also noted the
absence of any parish records antedating 1876.

274

CR I - "Dr. Lyman's Church Record." (Flyleaf: "Records
of the Church of Christ in Hatfield , by Joseph Lyman,
Pastor.") 1772-1867.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Hatfield
Commencing with year 1870." 1870-1939.

PR I - Parish Records, 1877-1944.

HAVERHILL, First Universalist-Unitarian (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 24, 164-5, its parish
being variously known as the First Parish, the Old Parish,
and the South Parish.

During the early nineteenth century, the liberal wing of
the church was able to prevent the settlement of an ortho-
dox minister by bringing a number of Universalists into
the parish; consequently, the orthodox withdrew in 1832
to form their own church and society. Five years later,
perhaps by tacit agreement antedating the exodus of the
orthodox, the Universalists departed, joining the already
existing Universalist church and society.
The First Parish sold its church properties in 1926, but
kept the society alive until 1950, when it federated with
the First Universalist Church.

Ministers:

John Ward
Benjamin Rolfe
Joshua Gardner
John Brown
Edward Barnard
John Shaw
Abiel Abbot

ord. 1645; d. 1695)

ord. 1693/94; d. 1708)

ord. 1710/11; d. 1715/16)

(ord. 1719; d. 1742)

(ord. 1743; d. 1774)

Cord. 1777; d. 1794)
(ord. 1795; dism. 1803;
d, 1828)

Ruling elders: none.

1. The 1641 date usually given for the church's founding
is actually that of the creating of the town of Haverhill.
For the 1645 date, see James K. Hosmer (ed.), Winthrop ' s
Journal (New York, 1908), II, p. 262.

275

Deacons: John White, Esq.
John Hasaltine
John Marsh
James Ayer
William White
Daniel Little
Capt. Nicholas White
Ens. David Marsh
John Ayer
Samuel Barnes
Joseph Dodge

(m. 1717;

(m. 1717;

e. 1721;

e. 1721;

e. 1728;

(e, 1728;

e. 1738;

e. 1738;

e. 1763;

;m. 1793;

e. 1789;

res. 1721)
res. 1721)
d. 1735)
res. 1763)
d. 1737)
dism. 173D

m. 1755
m. 1769
m. 1769
d. 1810)
m. 1803)

There are no records antedating 1693. Unless otherwise
noted, the extant records are owned by the church and
deposited at the Haverhill Public Library.

CR I - "No. 1. Records of the 1st Church in Haverhill,
Ms." Church records, 1721-1768, 1784, 1789, 1795; vital
statistics, 1693-1796.

VS I - "Haverhill Church Records," SIHC, LVII (1921), 141-
147. Admissions and dismissions, 1720/21-1796.

CR II - "First Church Records. No. 2 from June 3, 1795
to Jany 1828." (Flyleaf: "Records of the first church
in Haverhill, commencing with 3d of June 1795«") 1795-
1827.

CR I, II & PR I COPY - "Records of First Parish." Notarized
copy made in 1895 ^7 M. P. Raymond; two volumes, identically
titled. One volume contains only vital statistics of the
church; the other contains the business transactions of the
church and of the parish.

CR III - "No. 3. Records of the 1st Church in Haverhill
Commenced January 9- 1828." 1828-1833, with vital statis-
tics to 1840.

CR IV - "Records of the First Church, Haverhill. Commenc-
ing November. 1850." 1850-1853, 1870.

VS V - "Membership Record Book, Aor. 12, 1852 to April 24,
1962."

PR I - Parish Records, 1729-1833. A copy, contained in
CR I, II & PR I COPY, above.

PR I DUP - Parish Records, 1730-1734, 1737

276

PR II - "Records of the First Parish in Haverhill.
April 15th A.D. 1833 to October 9th 1900."

from

MP I - "Records of The Trustees of the Haverhill Congrega-
tional Ministerial Fund." 1823-1920.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1822-
1866, 1866-1962 (the latter at the church); Parish Pruden-
tial or Standing Committee Accounts, 1808-1878 (at the
Haverhill Historical Society); Pew Deeds, 1837-1890;
Ministerial Fund Treasurer's Accounts, 1814— 1866, 1866-
1962.

See 3- L- Mirick. The Hist or:/ of Haverhill , Massachusetts
(Haverhill, 1832); George '... Chase, The History of Haver -
hill , Massachusetts , From Its First Settlement , in 164-0 ,
to the Xear 1860 (.Haverhill, 1861 ) ; Frank A. Gilmore,
Historical Sketch of First Parish , Haverhill , Mass .
(Haverhill, 1895).

HAVSRHILL, North Parish Community Church (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 4-, 1750 as tiie Church in
the North Parish of Haverhill, which had been organized
in 1723. The redrawing of the Massachusetts-New Hampshire
line in 174-1 ceded much of the area to New Hampshire, that
which remained in Massachusetts being incorporated as "A
Parish" in 1755. The Trustees of the Ministerial Fund in
the North Parish were incorporated in 1823. In 1359 the^
church was reorganized by act of an ecclesiastical council.
Continued relations through the years between the Haverhill
North Parish Church and Society, and the Plaistow (N.H.)
and North Parish Congregational Church, resulted in 1930
in the federation of the two bodies, under the name of the
North Parish Community Church, most of the subsequent
activities of the congregation taking place in the Haver-
hill church building. The church was incorporated in 194-9.

Ministers: James Cushing (ord. 1730; d. 1764- )
Gyles Merrill (ord. 1765; d. 1801)

Ruling elders: none.

277

Deacons: Benjamin Kimball

Deacon Daniel Little
Thomas Johnson
James White
Joseph 3radley
Jonathan Kimball
Benjamin Clement
Isaac Snow

(e. 1730/31; d. 1752)

Ce. 1730/31)

(e. 1732; d. 1742)

(e. 1741; d. ca. 1792)

(e. 1741)

(e. 1749; d. 1807)

Ce. 1749; d. 1780)

(e. 1784; d. 1789)

The records are owned and, unless otherwise noted, are
deposited at the Haverhill Public Library.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1730-1827.

VS I - "Haverhill Church Records," glHC , LVII (1921), 141-
147. Admissions and dismissions, 1731-1774.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1825-1895-

CR I, II & MP COPY - "Records of the North Parish Congre-
gational Church, 1730-1905." Undated typescript copy of
the first two books of church records, and the records of
the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund (see below).

CR III - MXSSIH&, Church Records, 1895-1949-

PR I - MISSING, Parish Records, 1728-1913.

PR I COPY - "North Parish Congressional Church [ sic ]
Records, August 31, 1728 - April 24, 1913."

PR II - Parish Records, 1882-1949. At the church.

MP - Records of the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund,
1822-1949. At the church.

Miscellaneous records (at the church): "North Parisn Cash
Book," 1891-1939; Ministerial Pund Trustees Cash Book,
1899-1951-

2?8

HAV3RHILL, Third (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 22, 1735 as the Church in
the West Parish of Haverhill, the parish having been or-
ganized in 1734. 3ji 1761-1762, the church voted to become
Presbyterian, but returned to Congregationalism as soon as
the dismissal of the minister had been effected.
During the years 1801-1826, the church found itself unable
to make a satisfactory financial settlement with any candi-
date for the pulpit, due to the parish's policy of rebat-
ing the ministerial taxes of Baptist, Methodist and Uni-
versalist members of the parish. In 1829, the
Congregationalists withdrew from the parish (then predom-
inantly Universalist in sentiment) and in 1831 settled
an orthodox minister; the parish in turn settled a Univer-
salist.

In 1851 a dispute over the right to a legacy prompted the
Congregationalists to offer the Universalists $2400 for
the right to become "The (West) Parish." The next year,
the Universalists accepted, and reorganized as The First
Universalist Society in the West Parish of Haverhill.
By this arrangement, the Congregational body became once
again legally entitled to the name "The West Parish." The
church was incorporated in 1921.

Ministers: Samuel Bachellor (ord. 1735; dism. 1761;

d. 1796)
Phineas Adams (ord. 1771; d. 1801)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Nathan Webster
Peter Ayer
Samuel Hasseltine
Stephen Webster III
John Smith
Thomas Webster
Moses Webster
Joseph Eaton

(e. 1735; d. 1741)

e. 1735; eta. ca. 1771 )

e. 1741; d. 1773.'

e. 1747; d. 1793

(e. 1771; d. 1787

e. 1771; d. 1781

e. 1782; d. 1827

e. 1785; d. 1805

The records are owned and held by the church, unless
otherwise noted.

1. The Universalists ceased holding services in 1912,
and church and society soon after became extinct.

279

CR I - "First Records of Third Church, With notes by Rev.
E. W. Allen." (Flyleaf: "Records of The 3d Church in
Haverhill No. 1. Samuel Bacheller his Book.") 1735-
1752, with vital statistics to 1761.

CR II - "Records of the 3d Church in Haverhill No 2."
Church records, 1762-1794, 1807, 1820-1821, 1824-1826.

CR I & II COPY - "Extract of Records of Church in W Haver-
hill." MS copy of vital statistics only, 1735-1824.
Owned and held by the Essex Institute, Salem.

CR III - "Records of the Church of Christ, Haverhill West
Parish Dec. 27. 1826." 1826-1838.

CR IV - "No. 4. Records of The West or 3d. Church In
Haverhill . 1838 . " 1838-1853 .

CR V - "No. 5- Records of the West or third Church in
Haverhill from March 29: 1853 to December 31: 1869."
1853-1869-

CR VI - "Records of the West Church, Haverhill. Volume VI:
1870 to 1880." 1870-1880.

CR VII - "Records of the West Church Haverhill Volume 7.
1880 to July 22, 1906." Church records, 1880-1906.

PR I - "Haverhill West t>arish' s Book of Records 1754.
Book Records of the West Parish of Haverhill 1734." 1734-
1798/1802.

PR II - "Book of Records No 2 For Haverhill West Parish.
January 1st 1799." 1799-1899-

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1381-
1922; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1815-1899; Parish
Trustees Records, 1829-1914; Parish Trustees Treasurer s
Accounts, 1828-1920.

Also extant are records of the Congregational bociety for
the interim at>art from the West Parish (1829-1852):
Society Records, 1842-1847; Proprietors Records, 1828-
1852; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1828-1835; Parsonage
Fund Accounts, 1832-1854.

280

KWSHHILL, Fourth (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Nov. 28, 1744 as the Fourth
Church (Church in the 3ast Parish) of Haverhill, the
parish having been organized in 174-3. After the dismis-
sal of Tory Benjamin Parker in 1777, the church suffered
extensive membership losses and became inactive.
A new covenant and confession of faith was adopted in
1797, and on Jan. 11 of that year the church was recon-
stituted by act of ecclesiastical council. The last
regular minister removed in 1906, and the church soon
after became extinct. 1

Ministers: Benjamin Parker (ord. 1744; dism. 1777;

d. 1789)
Nehemiah Ordway (sett. 1789; rem. 1794)
Isaac Tompkins

itulin^ elders: none.

Deacons: Robert Hunkins

Peter Green

Joseph Kelley, Jr.
Elias Johnson
Francis Swan

(ord. 1797; d. 1826)

(e. 1745; n. 1757; eta.

by 1797)

(e. 1745; m. 1757; eta.

by 1797)

(e. 1757; eta. by 1797)

(e. 1797; res. 1837)

(e. 1797)

The records, unless otherwise noted, are owned and held
by the Haverhill Historical Society.

C3 I - "A Church Book of Records, for the Fourth Church,
Haverhill." 1743-1785, largely vital statistics.

CR I COPY - "A Church Book of Records of The Fourth
Church - Haverhill, Mass. 1743-1785." Typescript copy
made in 1936, owned and held by the Haverhill Public
Library ,

PR I - "The Parish Book Haverhill, February The 6. 1797
Anno Domini." 1743-1336.

PR I COPT - "Record Book of the Bast Parish, Haverhill,
Mass. Nov. 2, 1743 - July 5, 1836." Typescript copy made
in 1935, owned and held by the Haverhill Public Library.

1. The last vestige of the church and parish was the East
Parish Jewing oociety, whose sole surviving member died in
1958.

281

See B. L. rlirick. The History of Haverhill , Massachusetts
(Haverhill, 1852); "?he Confession of Faith and Covenant
of the East Congregational Church , in Haverhill , Ms.
Urbanized A. P . 1745 - Reorganized Jan . 11, 1797 (Haverhill,
1855 J; George W. ChaseT ~The History of Haverhill , Massachu-
setts, From Its First Settlement, in 1640 , to the Tear 18 SO
(Haverhill, 186lTT ~Fwo Hundredth Anniversary of Y ~ ~Sas-
Parish Congregational Church , Haverhill , Mass . T744 -l<
(n.p., 1944;.

HAVERHILL, East Church (see Haverhill, Fourth).

HAVERHILL, Old Parish (see Haverhill, First).

HAVERHILL, South Parish (see Haverhill, First)

HAVERHILL, West Church (see Haverhill, Third).

282

HAVERHILL, Bradford, First (C),

The church was gathered on Dec* 27, 1682 as the First
Church in Bradford. In 1726, Bradford was divided into
West and East Parishes (the former containing the First
Church; the latter eventually to become the town of George-
town). The Trustees of the Funds for the Support of a
Congregational Gospel Minister in the First [West] Parish
were incorporated in 1804- . The Proprietors of the (Vest)
Bradford Meeting House were incorporated in 1835 and again
in 1851. The parish was dissolved when the church was in-
corporated in 1915*

Ministers :

Zechariah Symmes, Jr.
Thomas Symmes
Joseph Parsons
Samuel Williams

Jonathan Allen

ford. 1682; d. 1708)
(inst. 1708; d. 1725)
(ord. 1726; d. 1765)
(ord. 1765; dism. 1780
to Hollis Professorship
at Harvard; d. 1817)
(ord. 1781; d. 1827)

Ruling elders: Sgt. John Boynton

(e. 1718;
d. ca. 174-0)
Deacon Samuel Tenny (e.~l718;

d. ca. 17^8)

Deacons: David Hasseltine

Richard Hall

John Tenny

John Bailey

Lt. Samuel Tenny

Sgt. Richard Bailey

Capt. Woodman

Moses Day
Joseph Hall
Thomas Carleton
David Walker
Moses Day II
Stephen Kimball
Obadiah Kimball
Thomas Kimball

(appointed to provide for

the Lord ' s Supper 1632

until e. of deacons; m. as

deacon 174-9)

(appointed to provide for

the Lord's Supper 1682

until e. of deacons;

e. 1702; d. 1730)

(e. 1702)

(e. 1702; m. 1727)

(e. 1713; elev. to ruling

elder 1718; d. ca. 1748)

(e. 1713)

e. 1728; m. 1736)

e. 1728)

e. 1730; m. 1744)

e. 174-2; m. 1765)

e. 174-5; m. 1771)

e. 1751)

e. 1754)

,e. 1762; m. 1795)
(e. 1767; m. 1771)

283

Thomas Webster
Richard Walker
John Griffin

e. 1782; m. 1791)
e. 1797; d. 1807)
e. 180*5

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I T "A Church Book [ illegible ] Bradford." 1682-1803,
1824. x

TO I - "Bradford Church Records," EIHC , LVII (1921), 173-
176. Admissions and dismissions, 1682-1779.

CR II - "Records of the first church of Christ in Bradford,
Mass." 1824-1904.

PR I - "A Book of Records of the first Parish in Bradford
1787." 1787-1866.

PR II - "Records of Meetings, First Parish, Bradford."
1852-1915-

PROP I - "Proprietors of Bradford Meeting House." Records,
1833-1906.

Miscellaneous records: Church Standing Committee Records,
1895-1906; Parish Congregational Fund Trustees Records,
1804-1880; Parish Congregational Fund Trustees Accounts,
1804-1880,

damaged

by

1. The tops of many pages of CR I have been
fire and so are illegible; however, much of the informa-
tion had already been copied, and is preserved in Articles

of Faith and Covenant Adopted by the First Church of
Christ in Bradford , Mass . , with its Standing 3ules and
Practical Principles , a Catalogue of Its Officers and
Members ~ f rom Its First Organization , in 1682 , uj to 1885 ,
and an Appendix cont lining J acts in Its History "THaver-
hTTl, 1886).

284

HAWLEY, Charlemont, First (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 16, 1778 as the Church
in Plantation No. 7; in 1792, the area became the town of
Hawley and the church was duly renamed. In 1825, the town
was divided into East and West Parishes, the former con-
taining the 1778 church- The church is now located in the
town of Charlemont.

Minister: Jonathan Grout (ordo 1795; d. 1835)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Bangs (e. 1793; d. 1809)

It:

Elijah Harmon (e. 1794; res. 1828)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1778-1833-

CR I COPY - Church Records, 1778-1781, 1793-1833. De-
scribed as being a copy made from "the Original Church
records, which had become defaced, &c."

CR II - "Records of the first Congregational church in
Hawley." 1835-1849.

CR III - "Records of the Pirst Church in Hawley, commenc-
ing with the Settlement of Rev. Henry Seymour, Oct. 3,
1849." 1848-1890.

PR I - "Records of the first Parish in Hawley." 1824-1849.
Inserted are some loose papers comprising church and par-
ish memoranda, the former dating from 1809.

Miscellaneous records: Deacons' Record Book, 1778-1856
(v/ith co-Dies of church votes, 1857-1845); Parish Assessors 1
Rate Book, 1825-1865.

285

HAWLEY, East Church (see Hawley, Charlemont, First).

HEAD OF THE RIVER, Society (see Hew Bedford).

HEATH, First (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Apr. 15, 1785 to replace the

First Church of Charlemont .

By a redrawing of the town lines in 1785, the church

properties were ceded to Heath, and (largely for purposes

of removing the minister) the older church disbanded, and

the Heath church created. The parish was also organized

in 1785 as the Trinity Congregational Parish.

In 1892, the Heath church merged its identity with the

other Protestant bodies of the town, organizing the Union

Evangelical Church.

Ministers: Joseph Strong Cord. 1790; dism. 1803; d. 1823
Moses Miller (ord. 1804; dism. 1840; d. 1855

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Hugh Maxwell
John Brown
James White

e. 1790; d. 1799)
,e. 1790; d. 1828)
(e. 1799; d. 1824)

There are no records antedating 1804; the extant records
are owned by the Union Evangelical Church, and deposited
at the Town Hall.

CR I - "Common Place Book, 1805." Ministers 1 records,
1804-1857, largely vital statistics.

PR I - "Record Book of the First Parish, Heath, Mass.
1825-1892." Also includes Parish Assessors' records,

1625-1857.

286

Miscellaneous records: Records of "Shareholders in the
New Meeting House," 1833-184G.

See Moses Miller, A Historical Discourse : Delivered by
Rev . Moses Miller , Former Pastor of the "First Congrega -
tional Church in Heath , at the "Bequest of Said Church ,
October B j 18 52 . with Some of the ^ccompan.yingT"3xercises
(Shelburne Falls, 1853)7^Sward~P7 Guild (ed.), 175 $ - 155 5
Centenni al Anniversary of the Town of Heath , Mass . Aug -
ust 19 i 1885 * Addresses , Speeches , " Letters , Statistics,

ust 12, 1885. Addresses ,
Stc., 2tcTCBoston, 1885;-

HERRING POND(S) Indian Church (see Bourne, Herring Pond(s)
Indian Church).

HINGHAM, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Sept. 18, 1635 > and the First
Parish was organized in 1721. The building is frequently
called "The Old Ship Church."

Ministers:

Peter Hobart

Robert Peck

John Norton
Ebenezer Gay, D.D
Henry Ware , D.D.

(ord. pastor 1635;

d. 1678/79)

(ord. teacher 1638; rem.

1641; d. 1656)
ord. 1678; d. 1716)
ord. 1718; d. 1787)
ord. 1787; res. 1805 to

become Hollis Professor

of Divinity at Harvard;

d. 1845)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Henry Smith

Ralph V/oodward

e. and ord. 1640)

e. and ord. 1640; d. 1663)

287

Thomas Loring
Matthew Gushing
John Fearing
John Leavitt
John Smith
Peter Jacob
Benjamin Lincoln
Joshua Hersey
Solomon Cushing
Thomas Andrews
Josiah Lincoln
Joshua Hersey, Jr.
Joseph Thaxter

Benjamin Cushing

Benjamin Lincoln, Jr,
William Cushing
David Lincoln, Jr.

d. 1661 ) x

d. 1660)

d. 1665)

,m, 1680: d. 1691)

m. 1681)-

,m. 1723)^

.d. 1727)

|d. 1740)

m. 1744; d. 1769)

,*• 1779 ;*d. 1784)

,d. 1774 y

'd. 1784)

(e. 1769; res. 1800;

d. 1808)

(e. 1769; res. 1800;

d. 1812)

(e. 1769; m. 1805)

(e. 1800; m. 1807),,

(e. 1800: m. 1807)

The records are owned by the church and deposited with the
Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.
Each of the total of forty-nine books and boxes held by
the Society has been assigned an Arabic numeral by church
officials, and this is given in parentheses, following the

1.

Loring died at Hull. See Peter Hobart's Diary, in The
y of William Bentl
Salem.~Hassachusetts (

Diary of Wi lliam Bent ley , D.D., Pastor of the East Church ,

"^Toucei"ter, 1<562), iTTT pp. 282-286.

2. Not to be confused with his son, Peter Jacob, a South
Hingham deacon.

3. The Deacon John (or Joseph) Loring who died at Hingham
in 1775 was an officer of another church, possibly Hull.

4. The widows of two otherwise unidentified deacons are
mentioned in this church's bills of mortality: Lucretia,
widow of Deacon Peter Hobart, died in 1807; Molly, widow
of Deacon Ebenezer Cushing, died in 1810. The men may
have been members of the Hingham diaconate. Two other
Hingham deacons whose dates of election are unknown are
John Jacob (m. 1813) and Isaac Cushing (d. 1815).

288

code designation, in the case of each item cited below.
It should be noted that VS I (10) contains some Gohasset
records, and VS II COPY (8) some statistics of the Second
Parish in Hingham.

Not listed below, but worthy of note (and quoted in the
thesis) is Peter Hobart 1 s Diary, contained in The Diary
of William Bent ley, DJ). , Pastor of the East CaurcnT " galeiiu
Massacnusetts (Gloucester, lQfi? ) , ^rTT~?R7Z?fl£7

VS I (10) - (Binding) "Rev. Peter Hobart record - Rev.
Henry Ware record." (Cover) "Copy of Early Ministers Rec-
ords by Mr. Marble. May be examined today."
Contents of the volume: Peter Hobart ' s Journal: bap-
tisms, marriages, deaths 1635-174-5 (having been continued
by Hobart f s son, and after 1700 comprised largely of
Hobart genealogical materials); Henry Ware's records 1787-
1805 of baptisms, marriages, deaths (arranged by families);
Nehemiah Hobart ' s records of the Cohasset church 1721-
174-7 ; miscellaneous entries regarding the town of Hingham.

VS II (8) - "Vital Records. 1717-1786. (Gay Pastorate)."
Marriages, 1718-1787; deaths of Negroes, 174-3-1787; deaths
of clergymen, 1766-1769; adult baptisms, 174-3-1787; mis-
cellaneous votes; adult baptisms, 1718-1742; infant bap-
tisms , 1718-1787; admissions, 1718-1786; deaths, 1718-1787.

VS II COPY (8) - "Vital Records. 1717-1786. (Gay Pastor-
ate). Copy." Mid-nineteenth century copy, rearranged with
additions. Baptisms, 1718-1806 ; marriages, 1718-1805;
deaths, 1718-1806; adult baptisms, 1718-1769; marriages
performed by Justices of the Peace, 1781-1813; town rec-
ords of births, 174-2-1753; marriages in Hingham' s Second
Parish, 1757-1835, and elsewhere."

VS III (8) - "Copy of Original Record Kept by Rev. E. Gay
with Additional Entries to 1826." Selective copy: bap-
tisms, 1718-1306; marriages, 1713-1805; deaths, 1718-1825.

1. Location of the Journal original unknown. A MS copy
is owned and held by the New England Historic and Genea-
logical Society, 3oston.

2. See COHASSET, First Parish Church, CR I.

3. See HINGHAM, Second Parish, CR I.

289

VS IV (8) - "Vital Records. 1787-1805- " Scattered church
votes; vital statistics: baptisms, deaths, marriages and
"other events" (largely admissions).

VS V (8) - "Church Membership, 1713-1900, Copy, & Vital
Records, 1787-1795."

CR I (8) - "Record of Proceedings. 1803-1854- " Church
records, 1805-1854; vital statistics: "church records"
(largely dismissions), 1305-1828; admissions, 1789-1865.

VS VI (10) - (Binding) "Records." (Flyleaf: "Vital Records
1806-1871.") Scattered church votes; vital statistics:
marriages, deaths, admissions, baptisms.

VS VI COPY (10) - (Binding) "Richardson's Records 1806-
1862." (Flyleaf: "Records, 1805-1861 Copy.")

VS VI MQRT (11) - "Death Register." 1807-1861, alpha-
betized.

VS VI MISC (16) - "Scrap Book." Miscellaneous vital sta-
tistics, 1343-1845.

Miscellaneous church records: Church Treasurer's Accounts
(11), 1863-1909.

PR I (8) - "The Records of the first Precinct in Hingham
[illegible] 1720." 1720/21-1806.

PR II (10) - "Records of the First Parish in Hingham.
1805-1897."

PR II DUP (9) - Duplicate Parish Minutes, 1810-1898.

PR III (43) - "Records, First Parish in Hingham." 1898-
1958.

Miscellaneous parish records: Parish Assessors 1 Tax and
Evaluation lists survive in such profusion (and duplica-
tion) that they must be cited by collections assembled and
given an Arabic numeral and box title (see above):

(17) - "Tax and Valuation Lists 1784-1812." 1784,
1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812.
Two for each year except 1784 and 1805-

290

(29) - "Parish Valuation 1813-184-0. " Individual
books for each year; two books for 1831, 1835 % 18%
1837, 1838, 1840; three books for 1839.

(30) - "Parish Valuation 1841-1866." Individual
books for each year including 1867; two books for
1841, 1842, 1843, 1844, 1848.

(31) - "Parish Valuation 1867-1886." Individual
books for each year except 1869: two books for 1873
1874, 1875, 1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880, 1881.

(32) - "Parish tax, 1815-1819 List books, 1823-1837."
Individual books for every year except 1820, 1821,
1822; two books for 1818, 1819, 1833, 1834, 1835,
1836, 1837.

(33) - "List books, 1838-1860 (1859-1860 missing)."
Book for 1838-1844 (two copies). Individual books
1845-1863 for every year except 1859 and 1860.

(34) - "Tax lists, 1820-1867 (bound copies) . . . ."
Three consecutive volumes, 1820-1833, 1834-1856
1857-1867. '

(41) - Volume entitled "First Parish Hingham. 1868."
Valuation and tax lists, 1868-1874.

(42) - Volume entitled "Valuation & Tax List First
Parish Hingham." Valuation and tax lists, 1875-1884.

(36) - "Assessors Record 1718-1816. Property of the
First Parish, Hingham." Assessors' orders to Precinct
Treasurer, 1717/18-1817-

Miscellaneous parish records (continued): the several

types of Parish Treasurer's Accounts must be similarly
cited:

(11) - "1st Parish in Hingham 1 s Account Book."
1778-1811.

(4) - "Property of the First Parish in Hingham."
1811-1866.

(36) - "The Property of the First Parish in Hingham,
1817." 1817-1879.

291

(36) - (Binding) "Journal." (Cover) "Property of the
First Parish, Hingham. 1879." 1879-1887.

(36) - "Church [sic] Treasurer's Record." 1887-1888.

(36) - "Church [sic] Treasurer's Record." 1888-1889.

Miscellaneous parish records (concluded): Pew Deeds (13) ,
1869-1896; Parish Committee Records (44), 1887-1900; Rec-
ords describing valuation of Real Estate (35), 1814-1815,
1824 ? 1825, 1826, 1827, 1828. 1829, 1830, 1831-1832 (two
copies), 1835-1835 (two copies), 1836-1839 (two copies),
1840-1844 (two copies), 1845-1848, 1849-1852, 1853-1857,
1858-1863, 1864-1868 (two copies); "James Hawke's Acct
Book, 1679-1684," record of monies subscribed for the
building of the "Old Meeting House," 1680.

HINGHAM, Second Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Nov. 20, 1746 as the Church in
the Third Parish of Hingham, the parish having been set
off the previous year. When the Second Parish became the
town of Cohasset in 1770, the Third Parish became the
Second in Hinghan, and the designation of the church was
accordingly changed. It is sometimes called the Church
in South Hingham.

Ministers: Daniel Shute, D.D. Cord. 1746; d. 1802)

Nicholas B. Whitney (ord. 1800; dism. 1833;

d. 1835)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Theophilis Cushing
Peter Jacob, Jr.
3d ward Ward
Pyam Cushing
Peter Hobart
Slisha Cushing
Robert Cushing
John Jacob, Jr.

(e. 1747; res. 1775; d. 1778)

(e. 1747; d. ca. 1770)

(e. ca. 1770; res. 1775)

e. 1775; d. 1776 ?)

e. 1775; a. 1798)

e. 1779; d. 1786'

e. 1794; d. 1325

e. 1794; d. 1847

292

The records are owned by the church; the church records
are held by the church, the parish records are deposited
with the Hingham Historical Society.

CR I - "Church Membership Records, 1746-1844." Church
records.

CR II - "Ministers 1 Book of Records, 1800-1871."

PR I - "Parish Clerk: First 3ook of Records of So.
Hingham Church, June 22, 1742 - Aug. 7, 1865."

PR II - "Records, Second Parish, Hingham." 1865-1953.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1781-
1866; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1838-1899; Parish War-
rants, bound volumes, 1800-1842, 1843-1875, 1876-1899-

HINGH.'J-I, Second Church and Parish (see Cohasset).

HINGHAM, Third Church and Parish (see Hingham, Second)

HINSDALE (C).

The church was gathered on Dec, 17, 1795 as the Church in
the West Parisn of Partridgefield, the parish having been
incorporated six months earlier. When the area became the
town of Hinsdale in 1804, the church and parish became the
First of the town. The First Congregational Society suc-
ceeded the parish in 1834, but was dissolved at the incor-
poration of the church in 1911-

293

Minister: Caleb Knight (ord. 1802; dism. 1816; d. 1854)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Richard Starr (e. 1796; d. 1805)

Elijah H. Goodwich (e. 1802; d. 1826) -,
Nehemiah Frost (e. 1803; rem. 1806)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the
local library.

OR I - "A Book of Records." 1795-1841.

OR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Hinsdale,
Mass. Vol. 2d. 1841." 1841-1852.

VS I - James Hosmer, "Baptismal Records of the Congrega-
tional Church of Hinsdale, Hass., to the Year 1850," NSHGR,
LVII (1903), 288-296, 357-361. 1747-1849.

CR III - "Records of the Congl Ch, Hinsdale, Hass. Vol.
3rd, 1852." 1852-1887.

SR I - Society Records, 1833-1880.

3R II - "Record Book of the Congregational Society.
1911.

1881-

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1334-
1395.

HOLDEN (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 22, 1742, the town having
been formed in 1741 from the North Precinct in Worcester.
The church was incorporated in 1888.

Ministers: Joseph Davis (ord. 1?42; dism. 1773; d. 1799)
Joseph Avery (ord. 1774; res. 1822; d. 1824)

1. The Deacon Rufus Harsh mentioned in 1801 was apparently
an officer of another church.

294

Ruling elders: none

Deacons:

William Nichols
Samuel Pierce
Joseph Hubbard
David Fisk
Noah Haven
Israel Davis
Slisha Hubbard

(e. 1743;

(e. 1743;

(e. 1755)

(e. 1762:

(e. 1783)

(e. 1795)

(e. 1793)

dism. 1770)
d. 1767)

d. 1792)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CH I - "The Book ol' Church Records for Holden. "
1821. Volume damaged by fire, but legible.

1742-

VS I - Franklin P. Rice, "Baptisms i'rom the Records of the
First Church oi* Holden, Mass., 1743-1822, the Births Not
Being on Town Records," N3HGR, LVIII (1904), 274-280, 371-
377.

CR 11 - HISSING, Church Records, 1821-1869-
CR III - Church Records, 1869-1931.

HOLLAND (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 13, 1765 as the Church
in South Brimfield, and the following year the East Parish
in the District of South Brimfield was incorporated. The
area became the town of Holland in 1733, and the names of
church and parish were duly changed. The parish was suc-
ceeded by the Orthodox Congregational Society in 1864, and
the church's name changed to the Evangelical Trinitarian
Congregational Church.

I-linister: 3zra Reeve (s) (inst. 1765; <*• 1818)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons

Hoses Lyon
Humphrey Crowe
James Frizell
5. Ballard
David Wallis

e.
e.
e.
e.
(e.

1768)
1768)
1779)
1787)
1794)

295

The only records surviving a disastrous fire of some years
ago were the records of the Sabbath School and two women's
organizations, all dating from the latter half of the nine'
teenth century. See Jason Moore, Annals of the Church in
Brimfield (Springfield, 1856).

HOLLISTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 31 > 1728, and incorporated
in 1894. The Trustees of the Sames Ministerial Fund were
incorporated in 1829, and the First Parish organized in
18 J6.

Ministers :

(ord. 1728; d. 1742)

(ord. 1743; eta. 1784;
d. 1788)

Timothy Dickinson (ord. 1789; d. 1813)

James Stone
Joshua Prentiss

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Thomas Marshall
Timothy Leland
Joseph Brown
James Russell
Aaron Phipps
Jesse Haven
Esek Marsh

(e. 1728;

d.

(e. 1728;

d.

(e. 1746;

d.

(e. 1748;

d.

(e. 1766;

d.

(e. 1789;
Ce. 1793;

d.

d.

1766)
1748)
1791)
1777)
1792)
1813)
1835)

The records are owned and held by the church. Not listed
below, but containing some references to church affairs,
is Timothy A. Dickinson, "Biographical Sketch and Extracts
from the Journal of Rev. Timothy Dickinson," VSAP, VI

(1883), 60-89.

CR I - "Church Records for Holliston, Anno Domini 1728."
Scattered church votes, 1728, 1747-1756, 1786-1789; vital
statistics, 1728-1789.

1. Sometimes given as "Lealand" or "Layland."

296

CR II - "The second book of Church Records in Holliston.
Begun in the year 1789." 1789-1836.

CH III - "Church .Records of the Congregational Church of
Christ in Holliston, Mass. commencing with the doings of
the Church in the settlement of The Seventh Pastor in Anno
Domini 1836." 1836-1846.

CR IV - "Church Records from 1848: Holliston, Mass."
(Flyleaf: "Church Records of the first Congregational
Church in Holliston, Massts commenced in 1838.") 1848-1893

CR V - "Records: Congregational Church, Holliston, Mass.
Jan 1, 1894 to May 22, 1913."

PR I - Parish Records, 1836-1867.
PR II - Parish Records, 1867-1894.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1831-
1864; Church and Society Cash and Subscription Records,
1861-1888; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1830-1890.

H0LY0K3, First (C).

In 1750, v/hat is now Holyoke and Chicopee had been con-
stituted as the Fifth Parish of Springfield. With the
setting off of Chicopee as Springfield's Second Parish in
1752, and the division of Springfield itself into Spring-
field and West Springfield in 1774. by 1786 the Holyoke
area had become the Third (Ireland; Parish of West Spring-
field.

The Congregational Church in Ireland Parish (sometimes
called the Third Church in west Springfield) was gathered
on Dec. 4, 1799; however, the presence of a number of
Baptist families in the parish made the settlement of a
minister impossible. In 1803 the Baptists withdrew to^
gather their own church, making their meetin^jhouse avail-
able to the Congregationalists and eventually ceding it
to them when a new building for the 3-iptist church was
erected in 1827.

297

Until 1834, the Congregationalists had no settled minister,
being supplied by preachers provided by the state and
county Home Missionary societies.

The church was incorporated in 194-3, and the society
merged with it in 1950. In 1962, the church merged with
a local Evangelical and Reformed church, to form the First
United Church of Christ in Springfield.

Ministers: Supplies to 1854- •

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Rogers (e. 1799; d. 1805)
Amos Allen (e. 1799; d. 1825)

The original early records of the church have long been
lost or destroyed; the extant records are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - "Resume of History, 1st Church — 1799-1888." With
some vital statistics.

CR II - "Records of the First Cong. Church, Holyoke, Mass."
1888-1913-

HOPKINTON (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 2, 1724, and incorporated
on May 20, 1895. ^e First Parish was organized in 1827.
The church was incorporated in 1395, and reincorporated
in 1928.

Ministers: Samuel Barrett, Jr. (ord. 1724; d. 1772)

iDlijah Titch Cord. 1772; d. 1788)

Nathaniel Howe (ord. 1791; dism. 1S08;

d. 1837)

Ruling elders: Deacon Joseph Bixby (e. 1731; ord. 1752;

eta. ca. 1737)
Deacon Joseph Haven (e. l75l; ord. 1732;

eta. ca. 1737)

298

Deacons: Benjamin Surnap, Sr.
Joseph Haven

Joseph Sixby

Henry Mellens

Ebenezer Kimble
Benjamin Burnap, Jr.
Jason Walker
Moses Haven
Stephen Kinsman

Joseph Walker
Abel Fiske

(e. 1725; ord. 1732)
(e. 1725; elev. to ruling
elder 1731; eta. ca. 1737)
(e. 1730; elev, to ruling
elder 1731; eta. ca. 1737)
(e. 1731; ord. 173Z;
m. 1755)

e. 1738)

e. 17^9; m. 1755

e. 1768; m. 1780

e. 1768; d. 1308

e. 1786; rem. 1793;
d. 1801)
(e. 1793; d. 1813)

1803; d. 1823)

The records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - "Church Records - Hopkinton." (Flyleaf: "A Book
of Records wherin the transactions of the Church are
recorded. ") 1724-1791.

n,

CR I COPT - "Barrett. Odlin. xoppan.
Copy made in 1381 by Paul Nason.

Hopkinton, Mass."

CR II - "The second Book of the Records of the Church of
Christ in Hopkinton - Beginning at the Ordination of Revd.
Nathaniel Howe - Octr. 5th 1791- " 1791-1833.

CR I & II COPY - "Records of the First Congregational
Church in Honkinton - 1724-1791. Volume I. Pages 1-117 .
1791-1838. Volume II. Pages 121-283." Notarized copy.

CR III - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Hopkinton, Mass. 1838." 1838-1880.

CR IV - "Records - First Cong'l Church - Hopkinton, Mass.
1831." 1881-1911, with vital statistics to 1923.

PR I - Parish Records, 1827-1358.

PR II - "Records." 1859-1895.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1827-
1858, 1853-1890; Pew Rents, 18^7-1857; Ministerial Fund

1. Sometimes given as "Mellen," "Millen," or "Millens."

299

Accounts, 1836-1859. Only cursory examination was per-
mitted, but it appears that most or all of the Parish
Assessors' Rate Books are extant, together with the records
of church officers and committees.

HOUSATONIC Indian Church (see Stockbridge, Housatonic
Indian Church and First Congregational Church).

HUBBARDSTON, First Parish (U).

Evangelical Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered on Feb, 14, 1770; its parish was
organized soon afterward. Following the withdrawal of the
orthodox in 1827, the church took the title of First Con-
gregational Church. The First Congregational Society was
organized in 1S28, and incorporated in 1833.
Orthodox seceders gathered the Evangelical Congregational
Church in 1827; this church also claims the 1770 founding
date.

Ministers: Nehemiah Parker (ord. 1770; dism. 1800;

d. 1801)
David Kendall (ord. 1802; dism. 1809;

d. 1853)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Joseph Sveleth
Adam Wheeler
Slisha Woodward
Ebenezer Rice
iSphraim Allen
Otis Parker

(e. 1771; dism. 1738)

Ce. 1771; dism. 1788)

(e. 1778; d. 1810)

(e. 1787)

(e. 1796
(e. 1805
dox 1827
res. 1840)

res. 1818)

withdrew with ortho-
deacon in that church,

joo

The one extant volume of church records contains a synopsis
of Hubbardston' s church history by Abner D. Jones, Unitar-
ian minister from 1828 to 1832. Jones remarked the lack
of early church records, as well as the fact that the
seceding orthodox carried any fragmentary records with
them. These last, however, were eventually returned to
the Unitarians and copied into the present book.

CR I - "Church Records. "
lacunae, 1770-1959-

Largely vital statistics, many

See The Articles of Faith and Covenant of the Calvinistic
Congregational Church in Hub'oardston , with a Catalogue of
Members. September, 184-3 (New York, 1843 ).

HULL (C), extinct.

It does not appear that a church was gathered here until
Sept. 13, 1670, although some authorities have argued that
such an event took olace in 1644- . Apparently Marmaduke
Matthews was 'settled" here from 1644 to 1649, but the for-
mal organization of the church was deferred. The last
male member of the church of 1670 died ca. 1789*

1. BOSTON, D0RCHE3T3R, CR PUB, p. 63: "The 11 (7) 70
[Sept. 11, 1670] ther was a letter read to y Church wch
Came from Hull expressing ther intent to enter into Church
state & ordaining (the Revd mr whitman &) some officer or
officers besides as also ther desier that og Church would
send some messengers to assist & hold out y right hand
of ffellowship unto them y day appointed is y 13th this
Instant . . . ." "The 18 7 70 after y evening exerciz
y Slder declared to y Church y return of ther raessadg
to Hull Viz that: ther was a Church gathered & a teaching
officer & a rulling elder ordained & eleven p ' sons in all
entered into Covenant at that time."

Joseph S. Clark, A Historical Sketch of the Congregational
Churc:: in Massachusetts , from 1620 to 1838 (Boston, 1858;,
r>. o, ouotes Savage as assuming the church was gathered
in 1644."

501

Ministers: .jechariah .whitman
3zra Carpenter

Jaaiuel Teazle

.Solomon Prentice

ISlhanan Winchester. Jr.

(ord. 1670; d. 1726*1

(ord. 1725; disra. 1746

d. 1785)

(inst. 1753; res, 1767

d. 1797)

(inst. 1768; rem. 1772

d. 1773)

(inst. 1773; rem. 1773

d. 1797)

.■iuling elders: the identity of the elder ordained in 1670
is unknown, nor is it possible to discover if the church -,
employed more than one of these officers during its career.

Deacons: 3enjamin Lorin£ (m. 1725)

John 3inncy (e. 1734; d. 1759)
John Lorin;: (e. 1734; d. 17 5S)
James Lorinp: (e. 1759; suspended 1767;

restored 1768)
Jonathan Collier (e. 1759; disin. 1772)

The copyist of the extant records reported in 1347 that
the records antedating 1?25 had been destroyed by fire.

CR I - KlSSHra, Church Records, 1725-1767.

C3 I COPY - "Hull Church Records." 1725-1746, 1753-1767.
Copy made in 1847- Owned and held by the New .Airland
Historic and Genealogical Jociety, Boston.

HUNTIHGTGL7, First (C).

In 1773 the eastern part of the now-extinct town of Hurray-
field was set off as tae town of Norwich. With the corning
of the railroad, the area near the station was called
"Chester Village" to distinguish it from "Chester factor-
ies" (now the town of Chester).

'fhe Congregational Church of Iforwicu was gathered in July
of 1778 at what later became known as "Chester /illace"
(or "Palley's Crossroads"). The First Parish was organ-
ized in 1832.

1. See BOJJON, Dorchester, ?irst , OH PUB, 65.

302

The name of the town (and consequently of the church and
parish) was changed to Huntington in 1855* The church,
which was incorporated in 1917 > styles itself "The Church
on Norwich Hill."

Ministers: Stephen Tracy

Benjamin B. Woodbridge

(inst. 1781; dism.
1799; d. 1822)
(ord. 1799; dism. 1831;
d. 1844)

Ruling elders:
Deacons:

none

John Kirkland (e. ca. 1778)
Jonathan Ware (e. ca. 1778)
Artemas Knight (rem. 1835)

There are no extant records antedating 1832, according to
the memorandum given in CR I, p« 3- The extant records
are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1832-1854.
personnel, 1778-1832.

CR II - Church Records, 1854-1931.

SR I - Society Records, 1832-1842.

SR II - Society Records, 1842-1865.

PR III - Parish Records, 1866-1917.

Contains notices of

HUNTSTOWN, Church (see Ashfield).

303

IPSWICH , First and South (C).

The First Church was gathered, in June of 1634, and the First
Parish was organized in 1724. The present church takes its
name from its merger early in this present century with the
South Church of Ipswich, for which a separate entry is made
below.

Ministers:

Thomas Parker

Nathaniel Ward

John Norton

Nathaniel Rogers
Thomas Cobbett
William Hubbard
John Rogers

John Denison
John Rogers, Jr.
Jabez Fitch

Nathaniel Rogers
Timothy Symmes
Levi Frisbie

(ord. pastor 1634; rem. 1635;

d. 1677)

(ord. teacher 1634; eta. 1637;

rem. 1646; d. 1653)

(ord. teacher 1638; rem. 1653;

d. 1663)

(ord. 1638; d. 1655)

(sett, 1655; d. 1685)

(ord. teacher 1658; d. 1704)

(ord. 1656; rem. to presidency

of Harvard College 1681; d.

1684)

(ord. 1686; d. 1689)

(ord. 1692; d. 1745)

(ord. 1703; dism. 1723; d.

1746)

(ord. 1727; d. 1775)

(sett. 1752; d. 1756)

(ord. 1776; d. 1806)

Ruling elders: the church elected two ruling elders in 1657,
but their names have not survived, nor any knowledge as to

1. As a point of clarification, the several Ipswich churches
were gathered in the following order: the First in 1634; the
Second (now Essex First) in 1681; the Third (now Hamilton
First) in 1714; the Fourth (extinct by merger with Essex
First) in 1746; the South Church in 1747; and the Linebrook
Church in 1749 «

304

whether the church continued to employ such officers.

Deacons: p the names prior to 174-6 are found in the town
records.

John Shatswell
William Goodhue

Joseph Goodhue

Whipple

Moses Fingry
Thomas Knowlton
„- — Jewett
Robert Lord
Thomas Low
Jacob Foster
Nathaniel Knowlton

Abbot

John Staniford
Thomas Norton
Jonathan Fellows
Aaron Fotter
Daniel Hurd
Mark Haskell
Samuel Williams
Joseph Low
Jeremiah Perkins
John Crocker
William Story, Jr.

(arrived Ipswich 16340

(arrived Ipswich 1637;

e. before 1658)

(d. 1697)

(mo 1651)

(m. 1660-1683)

Cm. 1667-1678)

(m. 1677)

(m. 1682)

(m. 1696)

(m. 1697-1709)

(m. 1700-1725)

(m 1710-1715)

(m. 1721-174-6)

(m. 1727-1737)

(m. 1727-1756)

(m. 1737-17^6)

(m. 174-6)

(m. 174-6)

(m. 174-6)

(e. 1763; d. 1782)

(e. 1763; d. 1790)

(e. 1781; res. 1790: d. 1806)

(e. 1781; res. 1788)

1. Samuel Jennison (ed.), "The Diaries of John Hull, Mint-
master and Treasurer of the Colony of Massachusetts Bay,"
AASTC, III (1857), 185-186: "Nov. 17. L16573 Mr. William
Hubert was ordained a teacher to the church at Ipswich,
where he was brought up under Mr. John Norton, the Lord
thereby making a complete supply to that churcn; before he
supplies the death of Mr. Rogers by Mr. Cobbitt in the pas-
toral office; and now the other; and also added two ruling
elders, which they never had before, to make up their want
of Mr. Korton, of whom the church at Boston stood in so much
need. The Lord of the harvest will not let any lose by the
help they spare to him."

2. See David T. Kimball, A Sketch of the Ecclesiastical

History of Ipswich . The Substance of A Discourse , in Two

Parts , Delivered in That Town, December 1320 (Haverhill,
T3557.

305

Aaron Perkins (e. 1788; d. 1801)

Caleb Lord (e. 1790: d. 1804)

Thomas Knowlton (e. 1801;

Mark Haskell (e. 1804)

There are no records antedating 1739; the extant records
are owned by the church and deposited with a local bank,
unless otherwise noted,

CR I - "Records, First Church, Ipswich. 1739-1805. Also
a copy of more ancient records, taken from the book of
records belonging to the feofees of the Grammar School in
Ipswich — Also a copy of the records of the First Church
in Boston, respecting the ordination and the death &c. of
Mr. John Norton, who had previously been a oastor of the
First Church in Ipswich."

VS I - "Ipswich Church Records," EIHC % LVIII (1922), 23-
24. Admissions and dismissions, 1750-1800.

CR II - "Records, First Church, Ipswich. Oct. 1806 to
Dec. 1829."

CR IIA - "Records of the First Church Ipswich . . . 1806-
1829- " Ministerial record, paralleling CR II, with addi-
tional vital statistics to 1851.

CR III - "Records of the First Church of Christ in Ips-
wich." 1830-1875.

PR I - "First Parish, Ipswich: Legal Meetings." 1724-
1755*

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1756-1830.

PR III - "Book of Records of the first Parish in Ipswich,
AD. 1830 to 1856."

PR IV - "Records of the First Parish, Ipswich. 1857 to
1914."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1801-
1832; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1795-1861 (owned and
held by the Essex Institute, Salem), 1822-1891.

506

IPSWICH, South (C), merged.

The church was gathered on July 22, 174-7 by Old Light
seceders from Ipswich's First Church, and the South Parish
was organized in the same year. Sarly in the present cen-
tury this church merged with the parent body under the name
First and South Congregational Church.

Ministers: John Walley (ord. 174-7; dism. 1764;

d. 1784)

Joseph Dana, D.D. (ord. 1765; d. 1827)

Ruling elders: Deacon Aaron Foster (e. 1747 :..d. 1776)

Thomas Norton (e. 174-7)

Deacons: Aaron Foster

Joseph Appleton
James Foster
Nathan Kimball
John Crocker, Jr.
Francis Merrifield

(e. 174-7; elev. to ruling
elder l?4-7; d. 1776)

e. 174-7; res. 1766; d. 1783)

e. 1766; res. 1796: d. 1807)

e. 1776; res. 1810)

e. 1796)

(e. 1796-1800; d. 1814)

The records are owned by the First and South Congregational
Church and deposited with a local bank.

Cfi I - "South Church, Ipswich. 1747 to 1848." Excellent
coverage 1747-1764; thereafter, largely vital statistics.

VSI- "Ipswich Church Records," EIKC, LVIII (1922), 23-24,
233- Admissions and dismissions, 1747-1773*

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1848-1872.

CR III - "Vol. II. Records. So. Church, Ipswich." 1872-
1916.

PR I - "The South Parish in Ipswich, their Book of Records
Began 1747." 1747-1851.

1. The church insisted upon electing ruling elders; how-
ever, Norton drops from sight in the records immediately
following his election, and Foster is styled "deacon" until
his death in 1776.

307

PR II - "South Parish Records, 1852-1922."

Miscellaneous records: Parish Constables' and Collector's
Records, 1740-1794; Parish treasurer's Accounts, 174-9-1795

IPSWICH, Linebrook (C), inactive.

The church was gathered on Nov. 15, 1749 as the Church in
Linebrook Parish of Ipswich and Rowley, the parish having
been organized in 1745 and incorporated in 1746.

Ministers: George Lesslie (ord. 174-9; dism. 1779;

d. 1800)
Gilbert T. Williams (ord. 1789; dism. 1815;

d. 1824)

Ruling elders:

James Davis

George Hibbert

Amos Jewett
Abraham Howe

(e. 1749; d. 1752)
(e* 1749; d. 1750 without
having accepted)
(e. 1757 j rem. i?89;
1790) 1

m.

(e. 1787)

Deacons :

John Abbot
Jonathan Burpee
Lt. Mark Howe

Moses Chaplin

Anthony Potter
Abraham Howe

(e. 1749; d. ±759)

(e. 1749; rem. 1764)

(e« 1760, refused; re-e
accepted; d. 1770)

(e. 1765; d. 1811)

(e. 1771; d. 179D*

(e. 1792; d. 1797 r

and

The records are owned by the church and deposited with a
local bank.

1. Jeremiah Burpee, elected a ruling elder in 1757,
probably refused the office.

2. An Abraham Howe was elected a deacon in 1792. Either
there were two men bearing this name, or (as seems more
likely) the ruling eldership fell into disuse, and Elder
Howe was given diaconal standing.

5. Another source reports an Abraham Howe removing from
Linebrook in 1809.

308

CR I - "Linebrook Church Clerk's Record. Book. No. 1.
1749 to 1830."

CR II - "Linebrook Church Clerk's Record. Book No. 2.
1824 to 1910."

PR I - "Linebrook Parish Clerk's Record. Book No. 1.
17^6 to 1801."

PR II - "Linebrook Parish Clerk's Record. Book No. 2.
1802 to 1894."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1886-
1925; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1870-1926.

IPSWICH, Fourth Church (see Essex, Second).

IPSWICH, Second Church and Parish (see Essex, First)

IPSWICH, Sixth Parish (see Essex, Second).

IPSWICH, South Church (see Ipswich, First)

509

IPSWICH, Third Church (see Hamilton)

IPSWICH AND ROWLEY, Church in Linebrook Parish (see Ipswich,
Linebrook).

IPSWICH CANADA (see Winchendon).

IPSWICH HAMLET, Church and Parish (see Hamilton)

IRELAND PARISH (see Holyoke).

JAMAICA PLAIN (see Boston, Jamaica Plain).

JONES

RIVER Precinct or Parish (see Kingston)

510

^SHTiiHTICUT Indian Church (see Middleboro, Titicut Indian
Church).

KINGSTON, First Congregational Parish (U).

The church was gathered in 1720 as tne Church in the North
or Jones River Precinct oi" Plymouth, the precinct having
been established in 1717. The precinct became the town of
Kingston in 1726, and the church eventually designated as
the First Church.

The Trustees of funds appropriated to the support of a
Minister of the Congregational Denomination in the Town
of Kingston were incorporated in 1802; the First Parish
was organized in 1828.

Ministers:

Joseph Stacey
Thaddeus Mace arty

William Rand
Zephaniah Willis

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Washburn

Wrestling Brewster
Sbenezer Washburn
Peter West
Nicholas Davis, Jr.
Martin Paris
Jedidiah Holmes, Jr,
George Russell
Jabez Washburn

ford. 1720; d. 1741)
(ord. 1742; dism. 1745;
d. 1784)

(inst. 1746; d. 1779)
(ord. 1780; dism. 1828:
d. 1847)

fe. 1721; m. 1741)

(m. 1741; d. 1767)

Cm. 1774-1799)

(e. 1782; d. 1786)

(e. 1786; d. 1798)

d. 1822
d. 1794

1. No dates are given for Paris, but it is known that he
served as a Kingston deacon, removed to Plymouth, and then
returned to Kingston where he agreed to resume his service
in the diaconate.

311

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by
the church,

CHI- MISSING, Church Records, 1720-1784.

CR I COPY & II - "This Book is the Property of the Church
of Christ in Kingston." Copy of CR I, 1720-1784; original
church records, 1784-1830; vital statistics to 1851.

CR III - "Records of The First Church in Kingston." 1828-
1961.

CR I COPY & II, III WPA - "Church Records, 1720-1880."
MS copy of CR I COPY & II, and parts of CR III and PR I.
Owned and held by the Town Clerk.

Book I. 1828-1864." 1828-
PR II - "Records: First Cong. Parish, Kingston." 1880-1961.

PR I - "First Parish Records.
1879.

LAKENHAM (see Carver).

LAKEVTLLE, Assawampsett Indian Church (C), extinct.

The history of the church is identical with that of the
Lakeville Nemasket Indian Church.

Ministers: the personnel is identical, except that Stephen
is not mentioned in connection with Assawampsett, and that
an Indian preacher named Jocelyn is mentioned here, from
1698 to 1711.

312

LAKEVILLE, Nemasket Indian Church (C), extinct.

The church was gathered ca. 1665 in a part of Middleboro"
now lying within the boundaries of Lakeville. Early in
the eighteenth century it was absorbed by the Middleboro
Titicut Indian Church.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: John Cotton, Jr.

John Sassaiaon'

Stephen

Samuel Danforth

John (Hia)coomes

Peter Thacher

(Indian mission on the Vineyard
1664-1667; ord. Plymouth First
1669, also ministered to two
dozen Indian praying towns and
churches; rem. 1697; d. 1699)
(Punkapoag Indian; served the
English during Pequot War
1637; Harvard educated;
schoolmaster at Natick; secre-
tary to King Philip. Indian
preacher here and at Lakeville
[Assawompsett] and Middleboro
[Titicut] 1673; d. 1675/76)
(Indian preacher here and at
Middleboro [Titicut] ca. 1685)
(ord. Taunton 1687, associated
with seven Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1727)
(son of Hiacoomes of Edgartown,
may have briefly assisted Mo-
rnatchegin at Chappaquiddick
ca. 1690; Indian preacher at
kjuittaub [= Nemasket ?] and
Lakeville [Assawompsett] 1698;
d. ca. 1718)

(oraT Middleboro 1709, associ-
ated with three Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1744- )

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except Natick,
no records of this church are known to exist or even to have
been kept.

1. It is therefore listed under Middleboro by Frederick L,
Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New
England (Lancaster. Plass. ."15% ). p. 259-

2. Sometimes given as "Wassausmon. "

315

LAKEVILLE, Lakeville and Taunton Precinct (C).

The church was gathered on Oct- 6, 1725 as the Church of
the Middleborough and Taunton Precinct (and sometimes called
the Second Church in Middleborough). The precinct had been
incorporated in 1719, and became the town of Lakeville in
1853. However, the precinct nomenclature was retained when
the Lakeville and Taunton Precinct Society was incorporated
in 1875-

Ministers :

Benjamin Ruggles (ord. 1725; dism. 1753;

d. 1782)
Caleb Turner (ord. 1761; d. 1803)
Thomas Crafts (inst. 1801; d. 1819)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Edward Richmond
John Hackett
Nathaniel Macomber
Edward Richmond, Jr
John Atwood
Job Macomber
Seth Richmond
Joseph Richmond
George Leonard
Benjamin Dean
George Staples
Samuel Staples
John Morton

(e. 1725; m. 1732)

(e. 1725; m. 17^5)

(m. 1759-1762)

Cm. 1759)

(m. 1761

e. 1762

e. 1766

e. 1766

.e. 1792)

(e. 1792; m. 179*0

(e. 1799; m. 1805)

(e. 1803)?

(e. 1804)

The church records antedating 1842 have disappeared, those
for the first pastorate being reported lost or destroyed in

1. The precinct records mention an Elder William Barney in
1759-1760, and an Elder Montgomery in 1762; however, it ap-
pears that these men were officers of the local Baptist
church.

2. In the absence of church records, the listing is based
on precinct records and on Historical Sketch , Confession of
Faith , Covenant , Standing Rules , and Members , of the Con -
gregational Church , in Middleborough and Taunton Precinct ,
Mass . (Boston, 1851).

314

1794, and those for 1761-1842 having dropped from sight
since 1851. The extant records are owned and held by the
church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1725-1761 and 1761-1842.

CR II - "Records of the Second Congregational Church in
Middleborough, Mass. or of Mid. & Taunton Precinct, Com-
mencing Oct. 19, 1842." 1842-1955.

PR I - "Middleborough and Taunton Precinct Booke, 1719."
1719-1758.

PR II - "Middleborough and Taunton Precinct Book Bought at
Boston May the 29, 1758 Price 5 Shillings." 1758-1800.

PR III - Precinct Records, 1800-1869-

PR IV - "Records of Middleborough & Taunton Precinct
Society." Precinct/society records, 1870-1938.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1769-
1870.

See Thomas Weston, History of the Town of Middleborough ,
Massachusetts (Boston and New York7"l9067, pp. 417-438;
Gladys DeM. Vigers, History of the Town of Lakeville, Massa -
chusetts (n.p., 1952).

LAKSVILLS, Beech Woods Church (see Middleboro, Second
Separate Congregational).

1. Isaac Backus, "An Historical Account of Middleborough,
in the County of Plymouth," MHSO , 1st Ser. , III (1794, pub.

1810), 146-153-

315

LAMBS TOWfi

F (see Hardwick, Federated).

LAHCASTEE

1, First Church (U).

The church was gathered in September t

if I860

. The First

Congregational Society was dissolved i

za. 1906 when the

church was incorporated.

Ministers

: Joseph Rowlandson

(ord.

1660; rem. 1676;

d. 1678)

John Whiting

(.ord.

1690; d. 1697)

Andrew Gardner

(sett.

1701 ; d. 1704)

John Prentice

(ord.

1708; d. 1748)

Timothy Harrington

(inst.

1748; d. 1795)

Nathaniel Thayer, S.T.

D.

(ord.

1793; d. 1840)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

due to the lack of early

records ,

the name of

only one

seventeenth-century deacon is known

•

Roger Sumner

(e

, before 1676)

Capt. Peter Joslyn

(e

. 1715;

d. 1759)

Joseph Wilder, Esq.

(e

. 1715;

d. 1757)

Josiah White

(e,

. 1729;

d. 1772)

James Wilder

(e

• 1729;

d. 1739)

Hooker Osgood, Jr.

(e,

d.

. 17^2;
1765)

res. 1761;

Israel Houghton

(e,
d.

. 17^2;
1777)

res. 1761;

Joshua Wilder, Jr.

(e,

. 17^9;

d. 1777)

Joshua Fairbank

(e.

. 1749;

d. 1769)

Joseph White

(e.

■ 1761;

d. 1780)
d. 1776)

David Wilder

Ce.

. 1761;

Josiah Wilder, Esq.

(e.

. 1777;

d. 1788)

Capt. Benjar.in Houghton

(e.

■ 1777;

d. 1802)

Cyrus Fairbank

(e.

■ 1777;

d. 1801)

Josiah Ballard

(e.
d.

, 1781;
1799)

res. 1794;

John Whiting

(e.

. 1789;

rem. 1808)

516

Joseph Wales (e. 1794; res. 1817)
Jonas Lane (e. 1801; res. 1838)
Joseph White (e. 1802; d. 1806)

There are no records antedating 1708; the extant records
are owned by the church and deposited at the Town Hall.

CR I - "Lancaster Church Records, 1708-1793 -"

VS I - "Lancaster baptisms during the ministry of Rev. John
Prentice . " 1708-1734.

CR II - "Church Records." 1793-1846.

CR III - "Records. First Church, Lancaster." Largely vital
statistics, 1847-1907; church votes, 1847-1857-

VS II - "Parish Register." Baptisms, admissions, marriages,
deaths, 1847-1905.

VS III - "Record. Marriages." 1881-1905-

PR I - "Records of the First Precinct, Town of Lancaster."
1742-1781.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1 781-1836.

PR III - "Records of the First Parish, Lancaster, 1836-1906."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1761-
1882; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1836-1876, 1877-1914;
Parish Order Book, 1836-1878; Pew Deeds, 1796-1864, 1820-
1951.

See Henry S. Nourse (ed.), The Birth , Marriage and D eath
R egister , Church Records and" " £pitaphs of Lancaster , Massa -
chusetts . 1643 - 1850 (Lancaster, 1555).

LANCASTER, Second Church and Precinct (see Sterling).

517

LANESBORO, Federated Church.

The church was gathered on March 28, 1764- as the Church in
New Framingham. The town was organized as Lanesboro the
following year, and the name of the church was accordingly
changed. The First Parish came into being in 1824. In
1918, the church federated with local Methodists, Baptists
and other Protestants. It is currently unaffiliated, the
Congregational element having severed connections with that
denomination in 1958.

Minister: Daniel Collins (ord. 1764; d. 1822)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons:

Azariah Rood
Nebemiah Bull
Ebenezer Squier
Andrew Squier
Ebenezer Buck

(rem. 1768)
(e. 1780; d. 1815)
(e. 1783; d. 1797)
(e. 1798: d. 1824)
(d. 1805)

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - "The Records of the Church of Christ in New Framing-
ham or Lanesborough, from the Settlement of the Church in
that Town in the year of our Lord 1764, to 1890."

CR I COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "The Records of the Church of
Christ in New Framingham or Lanesborough, from the Settle-
ment of the Church in that Town in the year of our lord
1764." Copy made in 1899, owned and held by the Berkshire
Athenaeum (Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

CR II - "The Records of the Congregational Church in Lanes-
boro from the year 1890." 1890-1953-

PR I - "Record of the doings of the first Congregational
Parish in the Town of Lanesborough." 1824-1858.

PR/SR II - Parish/Society Records, 1859-1898.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1883-
1953-

318

LEE (C).

The church was gathered on May 25, 1780, and the First
Parish created in 1830. The parish was dissolved at the
time of the church's incorporation in 1918.

Ministers: Elisha Parraelee (ord. 1783; d. 1784)
Alvan Hyde

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

(ord. 1792; d. 1833)

Oliver West
Jesse Bradley
Levi Nye
Edmund Hinckley

(e. 1783; d. 1816

(e. 1783; d. 1812:

(e. 1792; d. 1825!

(e. 1804; d. 1822)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the Lee Congregational Church, 1780-
1833."

CR II - "Church Records:
Jan. 1, 1873."

Clerk's Records from Dec. 1833 to

CR III - "Records: Lee Cong'l Church." 1872-1910.

PR I - "This book contains the records of the First Congre-
gational Parish from its organization Dec. 3d, 1830 to &
including meeting June 5» 1889- Prior to 1889, it had been
united with the Town."

SR II - "Records - Lee Cong'l. Society-" 1390-1918.

Miscellaneous records: Parish/Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1841-1857, 1857-1918 (and Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1919-
19^-4); Society Collector and Prudential Committee Records,
1840-1920 (and Church Business Committee Records, 1920-
1952); Proprietors of the Meeting House Records, 1799-1801.

319

LEICESTER, Federated (C).

The church was gathered in 1721, probably on Sept. 15 . The
Trustees of the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1824,
and the First Parish in 1833* The federation is of com-
paratively recent date.

Ministers: David Parsons

David Goddaxd
Joseph Roberts

Benjamin Conklin

Zephaniah S. Moore

(inst. 1721; dism. 1735;
d. 174-3)

(ord. 1736; d. 175*0
(ord. 1754; dism. 1762;
d. 1811)

(ord. 1763; dism. 1794;
d. 1798)

(ord. 1798; dism. to lan-
guage professorship at Dart
mouth 1811; e. president of
Williams 1815; e. president
of Amherst 1821; d. 1823)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of early records, knowledge of the
church's deacons is fragmentary.

James Southgate

(m.

1729)

Jonathan Witt

(ra.

before

1798

John Whittemore

(ra.

before

1798

Isaac Choate

(m.

before

1798

Solomon Parons

Joseph Eliot

(e.

1798)

Luther Robinson

(e.

1800)

The records of the church antedating 1798 were the object
of a thorough but fruitless search in that year. The
extant records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "First Congregational Church Record Book, No. 1.
1793 [sic] - 1857." (Flyleaf: "Records of the Congrega-
tional Church, in Leicester, Massachusetts.") 1798-1859-

1. See C7 I, p. 6, under date of Feb. 13, 1798.

320

CR II - "First Congregational Church, Record Book. No. 2.
1857-1909." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Congregational
Church in Leicester.") 1857-1910.

PR I - "Records of the First Parish in Leicester, Mass.
1833-1888."

PR II - "Records." 1890-1948.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Register, 1850-1931-

See A. H. Coolidge, The Religious History of the First Con -
gregationa l Church in Leicester . A Sermon. A gri T" "24 , 1887 ■
On the Sabbath after the Thi r tieth Anniversary of His In-
stallation as Pastor of the Church , April 21. lS57 (Worces-
ter, 18377-

LEICESTER, Second Church and Precinct (see Spencer).

LENOX (C).

The church was gathered in 1769, and the Lenox Congrega-
tional Society organized in 1834- (to be dissolved in 1898).

Ministers: Sanuel Kunson (ord. 1770; disra. 1793;

d. 1814)
Samuel SheDard, D.D. (ord. 1795; d. 1846)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Lemuel Collins
Amos Stanley

Elisha Coan
John Stoughton
Charles Mattoon

(e» provisionally 1776)

(e. provisionally 1776; e. 1785;

res. 1795; re-e. 1795; res. 1809)

(e. 1785)

(e. provisionally 1795; res. 1795)

(e. provisionally 1793; res. 1795;

e. 1795; d. 181J)

321

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - Church Records, 1771-1846.

CR I COPY - "Records of Congregational Church, Ienox, Mass.
1771-1846." MS copy, made in 1894 by Robert C- Rockwell.
Owned and held by the local public library.

VS I - Vital statistics, 1795-1846.

VS I COPY - "Records of the Congregational Church, Lenox,
Mass." MS copy, made in 1894 by Robert C. Rockwell. Owned
and held by the local public library.

VS I COPY ABSTRACT - Rollin H. Cooke, "Lenox Church Records
from R. C. Rockwell's Copy." Abstract made in 1895, owned
and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection;,
Pittsfield.

CR II - "Records of the Congl. Church, Lenox, Mass., from
1846 to 1872."

CR III - "Records, Congregatl Church, Lenox, 1872." 1872-
1959.

VS BAP - "Baptisms. Lenox. Congregational Church." 1771-
1961.

SR I - "Congregational Society, Lenox. No. 1." 1834-1876.

SR II - "Record Book. Cong. Soc. Lenox." 1876-1898.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1805-
1911, 1879-1913; Society Assessors' Rate Book, 1861-1878;
Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1835-1898 (with Church
Treasurer's Accounts, 1898-1914,).

322

LEOKINSTER, First Congregational Society (U).

The church was gathered on Sept. 14, 174-3, its parish being

incorporated the same year.

A schism during the years 1756-1762 saw the creation of a

church in the Second Precinct (see LEOMINSTER, Second

Church). The schism ending in 1787, the First and Second

Precincts were united as "one Parish."

Following the withdrawal of the orthodox, the Parish of the

First Congregational Society was reorganized in I835.

Ministers: John Rogers (ord. 1743; dism. 1758; sett.

Leominster Second Church 1762-
1787; d. 1789)
Francis Gardner (ord. 1762; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan White

Gardner Wilder
James Boutell
Benjamin Whit comb-
Jot ham White
Oliver Hoar
Israel Nichols
John Joslin, Jr.
David Wilder
Ephraim Carter
Abijah Butler
John Buss

(e. 174-3; rem. to Leominster

Second Church 1762)

(e. 174-3; d. 1787)

(e. 1747; d. 1752)

(e. 1747; d. 1778)

(e. 1763)

(e. 1767)

(e. 1769; d. 1802)

(e. 1769; d. 1810)

(e. 1775; res. 1810; d. 1815)

(e. 1775; res. 1814; d. 1317)

(e. 1797; res. 1314; d. 1822)

(e. 1801; res. 1814; d. 1845)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "No. 1 A.D. 1743-1787." The records of the schism
years (1762-1787) were cut out of the book before 1815.

CR II - "Leominster Church Records. No. 2. A-D. 1760-1813."

CR III - "The Book of Records ... No. 3* A.D. I8I3 to
1814." With vital statistics, 1786-1815.

SR I - Society Records, 1835-1865 .

SR II - Society Records, 1866-1892.

1- Virtually all church records postdating 1315 have been
lost.

523

LEOMINSTER, Second (G), extinct.

John Rogers was dismissed from the ministry of Leominster's
First Church for unsound doctrine in 1758. R oge r f enter-
tained a suit against the town for four years, but agreed
to settle differences at a mutual council in 1/bl.
On Jan. 21, 1762 the town voted Rogers and his followers
oermission to be a Second Precinct and to hold religious
services. A further vote of the town in 1768 gave the
church in the Second Precinct the right to hold^ services
in "the school house on the north side of the River.
The Second Church and John Rogers' ministry came to a close
at the same time; in 1737, the First and Second Precincts
were united as "one Parish."

Minister:

John Rogers (ord. Leominster First Church 174-3;
dism. 1758; sett. Second Church
1762-1787; a. 1789)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan White (e. Leominster First Church 17*3;

rem. to Second Church 1762;
Simon Butler (e. 1765; demitted at the unifica-

tion of the precincts 1787)

No records of this church are known to exist. Possibly they
were destroyed by the same party who mutilated the earliest
book of Leominster First Church records. See David Wilder,
The History of Leominster or the Northern Half of the Lan-
caster New or AdditionaI~Grant (.Fitchburg, 18537V

LEV3RETT, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 10, 1774. The First Congre-
gational Society was organized in 1861, and dissolved at the
incorporation of the church in 1898.

Minister: Henry Williams (ord. 1784; d. 1811)

324

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of early records,
only one church lay officer is known, viz ■ , Deacon Jonathan
Field, who attended an ordination council at Rowe in 1787*

The records antedating 1854 have disappeared; the extant
records are owned by the church and deposited with the Town
Clerk.

CR I - "Book 5* Records of the Congregational Church of
Leverett commencing with Jan. 1854- - Dec. 8, 1895»"

CR II - "Book. 6. Records of the First Cong'l Church be-
ginning Jan 1st 1896 including many of the officers and
Pastors back to the year 1784 - June 23, 1927."

SR I - "Book 4. Records of the Congregational Society of
Leverett. Mar. 18, 1861 - Apr. 14, 1898."

See David Eastman, "Brief History of the Congregational
Church of Leverett," PVHAHP , I (1870-1379), 246-254.

LEXINGTON, First Congregational Unitarian Society (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 21, 1696 as the Church of
Christ in North Cambridge or Cambridge Farms, the Parish
of Cambridge Farms having been incorporated in 1691-
Lexington was made a town in 1713, and the church and par-
ish became the First in the town. The Trustees of the
Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1817.

Ministers:

Benjamin Estabrook
John Hancock
Ebenezer Hancock

Jonas Clarke

ford, 1696; d. 1697)
Cord. 1698; d. 1752)
(ord. colleague 1734;
d. 1740)
(ord. 1755; d. 1805)

325

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Heriam
Samuel Stone
Samuel Stone, Jr.
Capt. Joseph Estabrook
Joseph Brown
John Laughton
Joseph Estabrook
John Stone
Joseph Loring
James Brown
Joseph Loring
Jonas Stone
Benjamin Brown
Maj. John Bridge
Nathan Reed

e. 1696;

e. 1696;

e. 1715;

e. 1716;

e. 1727;

e. 1733;

e. 1733;

e. 174-3;

e. 174-3;

e. 1756;

e. 1756;

e. 1766;

e. 1768;

e. 1787;

(e. 1787;
d. 1811)

d. 1727
d. 1703
d. 1732
d. 1733
d. 1764- )
rem. 1744)
d. 1740)
d. 1762)
d. 1746)
d. 1768
d. 1787
d. 1790
d. 1802
d. 1806)
res. 1808;

The records are church property, and are deposited at the
Hancock-Clarke House, Lexington.

CR I - Church Records, 1690-1845.

CR I COPY - "A Copy of the Records of the Church of the
first Congregational Society in Lexington." Made in 1854-
by Bathsheba Whitman.

CR II - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Lexington. " 1845-1868.

CR III - "American Church Register."

PR I - "Records of the first Parish.
1857.

PR II - Parish Records, 1857-1896.

PR III - Parish Records, 1897-1913.

1869-1908.

Volume 1st." 1845-

1. That Lexington's meetinghouse of 1795 had a "Seat for
the Elders & Deacons . . . between the [two flights of]
stairs of the Pulpit" is recorded by visitor William
Bentley, The Diary of William Bentley, D^D. , Pastor of the
East Church, Salem , "" Massachusetts (Gloucester, 1962) , II,
p. 147"! The church, however, filled only the diaconate.

326

Miscellaneous records: Church Registers, one chronological,
the other alphabetical in arrangement, 1845-1906; Parish
Treasurer's Accounts, 1872-1898, 1894-1904; Pew Records,
1848-1881; Tax List, 1864.

LINCOLN (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 20, 1747 in the Second Pre-
cinct of Weston, as "the Church in the Precinct set off
from Weston, Concord and Lincoln." The church's name was
changed when Lincoln became a town in 1754. The First Par-
ish was organized in 1830.

Ministers :

William Lawrence
Charles Stearns, D.D.

(ord. 1748; d. 1780)
(ord. 1781; d. 1826)

Ruling elders:

none.

Deacons: Benjamin Brown

Joshua Brooks
John Gove
Samuel Farrar
Joshua Brooks,
JSdmund Wheeler
Samuel Parrar,
Bleazar Brooks
John Hart we 11
Thomas Wheeler

Jr

Jr

(Weston deacon, active in the
gathering of the Lincoln
Church; probably not e. dea-
con here; d. 1753)

d. 1768)

d. after 1780)

d. 1753)

d. 1790)

d. 1805)

d. 1829)

res. 1803; d. 1806)

d. 1820)

d. 1841)

<e. 1749;

(e. 1749;

(e. 1763;

(e. 1763;

<e. 1784;

Ce. 1784;

(e. 1795;

(e. 1804;

(e. 1805;

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Records - Concord, Lexington and Weston
Second Precinct, 1747-I754 - Lincoln Church Records, 1754-
1827 - First Parish of Lincoln." The church also owns a
microfilm copy of this volume.

CR II - "A Record of the Church of Christ in Lincoln,
Massachusetts - 1828." 1828-1892.

32-7

CR III - Church Records, 1892-1936.

PR I - "Records of the First Parish in Lincoln." 1830-1866

PR II - "1867: Records of the First Parish in Lincoln,
No. 2." 1867-1939-

LHT3BR00K Church and Parish (of Ipswich and Rowley) (see
Ipswich, Linebrook) .

LITTLETON, First Congregational Unitarian Church (U).

The church was gathered on Dec. 25, 1717; church and society
took the title First in 1832, after the withdrawal of the
orthodox.

Ministers :

Benjamin Shattuck (ord. 1717; dism. 1730;

d. 1763)

Daniel Rogers (ord. 1732; d. 1782)

Edmund Foster (ord. 1781; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Caleb Taylor
John Wood
Dr. David Russell
Benjamin Hoar
Abraham Patch
.Snoch Dole
Jonathan Lawrence
Samuel Taylor
Oliver Hoar
Josiah Hartwell
Jonathan Patch
31ias Taylor
John Wood

in. 1730-174-2)

m. 1730-1751)

Cm. 1731)

re. 1741: m. 175D

(e. 1756)

Ce. 1756; m. 1780)

Ce. 1763; d. 1789)

(e. 1763)

n. 1730 ; res. 1796)

m. 1780; d. 1791)

e. 1786; d. 1794- )

e. 1786; d. 1797)

e. 1795; m. 1805)

328

Daniel Kimball (e. 1793; d. 1813)
John Hartwell (e. 1796; res. 1313)
Samuel Hoar (e. 1796; m. 1300)

There are no records antedating 1751; the extant records
are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, The Daniel Rogers KS, containing church
records, 1731-1781.

CR I COPY - Church Records, 1731-1781. Copied in 1877 hy
Francis P. Knowlton.

CR II - "Church Records, May 20, 1731 - November 3, 1854. '

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1854-1864.

CR IV - "Records of the First Congregational Church &
Society in Littleton, 1864." 1864-1926.

3R I - "Records of the First Congregational Society
Littleton 1829-1368. "

3R II - "Records of the First Congl. Society Littleton
Vol. II." 1868-1915 .

LOITG L;u'I3, Church and Society (see 3oston, Arlington
Street Church).

LONffiSADOW (0).

The church was gathered on Oct. 17, 1716 as the Second
Church in Springfield. The Second Parish had been or-
ganized in 1713, and Longmeadow Precinct was incorporated
the following year. Longmeadow became a town in 17S3, and
church and parish became the First in the town. The

329

Trustees of the iiinisterial Fund were incorporated in 1823,
and the church itself received incorporation on Dec. 18,

1891.

Ministers: Stephen Williams, D.D. (ord. 1716; d. 1782)
Richard S. Storrs (ord. 1785; d. 1819)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons
1746.

there are no records of diaconal elections until

Nathaniel Burt, Jr.
Nathaniel Sly-
Aaron Co It on
Nathaniel Ely III
William Colton

(e. 1746; m. 1746)

e. 1753; d. 1799)

e. 1756; m. 1761)

e. 1787; d. 1808)

e. 1787; m. 1808)

There are no records antedating 1741. The extant records
are owned by the church, and except for the two earliest
volumes deposited in a local bank, are kept in the church
building.

CR I - "The Revd Doctor Williams ' Records of Baptisms,
Admissions into and Dismissions from the Church and of
Marriages in the Town of Longmeadow from the year A.D.
1741 to the year 1768. Also to the year 1782." Includes
sketchy church records. The church owns a microfilm copy

CR II - "Records of the Church in Longmeadow - AD 1786.
Janry 1st 1787- " 1785-1837.

CR III - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Longmeadow. " 1837-1891 •

CR IV - "The First Church of Christ in Longmeadow." 1891-
1918.

SR I - "Longmeadow Society Records." 1820-1923.

LOUDON, Church (see Otis).

330

LOWELL, Pawtucket (C).

The history of this church begins in 1794 when residents
of western Dracut, dissatisfied with the location of the
new Dracut meetinghouse, withdrew and made an abortive at-
tempt to erect their own house of worship at what is now
Hovey Square.

In June of 1797 » these seceders organized and incorporated
the West Congregational Society, razed the uncompleted
Hovey Square building, and used the timbers to construct a
meetinghouse at Pawtucket Falls. The first recorded narish
meeting was held on July 6, 1797-

It is generally agreed that a church was gathered on
Aug. 31, 1797; however, no minister was settled here until
1821, and the records consulted by historians of the area
open in 1819-

In the latter year, the church voted itself Presbyterian;
in 1837 » it adopted Congregational principles once again.
The church was incorporated in 1929.

Ruling elders and deacons: the first lay officers known
were elected in 1821.

CR I - NI3SING, Church Records, 1819-1870. 1

CR II - "West Parish Church Dracut 1870 Nov. 1907 # "

CR II DUP - "1890. Annual Report Pawtucket Church."
A more detailed record, 1890-1894.

CR II/III DUP - "This Book is Companion to Record Book
Pawtucket Cong'1 Church 1907." A more detailed record,
1894-1912.

VS I - Vital Statistics, 1819-1938. Compilation begun
ca. 1870.

SR I - "Book ?F1. This Book was commenced in the year
1797. and finished in the year 1876."

SR II - "Book #2. Pawtucket Society." 1877-1929.

See A. C. Varnum, History of the Pawtucket Church and
Society with Remini scences of Pastors and Founders »

1. This book of records dropped from sight after 1908.

351

Sketches of Congregational Churches in Lowell , and a Brief
Outline^ oT ^Con^reRationalism (Lowell , 1888); Silas R.
Coburn, History or Dracut , Massachusetts , Called b y the
Indians Auftumt o'oc o oke and Before Incorporation , The Wilder -
ness Horth of the Merrimac (Lowell, 1922).

LUDLOW, First (C).

The church was gathered in 1789
organized in 1835*

The First Parish was

Minister: Antipas Steward (ord. 1793; dism. 1803; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: in the absence of early church records, the church
Manuals offer a list of persons thought to have been
elected to the diaconate prior to 1824.

Jonathan Bartlett
Timothy Keyes
Jonathan Clough
David Lyon
Job Pease
Stephen Jones
Benjamin Sikes
Oliver Dutton

A Manual of The First Church , Ludlow , Mass. (n.p., 1897)
remarks the lack of records antedating 1819* The books
cited as missing are reputed to be extant, but the church
officers do not know their whereabouts. It seems likely
that CR I was missing ca. 1900 when Cooke copied CR II.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1819-1839.

1. The church claims the date 177^, but it should be noted
that the three ministers active a-c Ludlow before 1793 were
stated suDDlies. They were Peletiah Chapin (supply from
177^ to 1775), David Haskell (1784-1786) and Aaron Woodward
(1789-1793).

532

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1839-1896.

CR II COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Cong. Church Records (Mem-
bership," largely vital statistics. Owned and held by the
Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

CR III - "Record of The First Church in Ludlow, Massachu-
setts." 1897-1940.

PR I - MISSING, Parish Records, 1835-1850.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1850-1897-

Miscellaneous records: "Records: Fund Bequests Gifts,
First Church" (including some parish memoranda and town
votes, 1835)*

See Principles of Discipline and General Reflations , Con -
fession of Faith, and Form of Co'venant , adopted by The
Congregational Church in Ludlow , MassT (Springf ield , 1839 ) ;
Articles of Faith and" 7ovenarrE~ "of the First Congregational
Church , oT~ Ludlov: ," T!a'ss . ISprinrjTield, 1867); The First
3hurch of Ludlow , Massachusetts . The One Hundred and
Sever. ty ^ ?ifth Anniversary . T774-l$49 XnTp., 194-9).

LUIT2NBURG (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on May 15, 1728, and was extinct
by 1867, when the parish sold the meetinghouse to the town

•Ministers: Andrew Gardner, Jr

David Stearns
Samuel Payson
Zabdiol Adams
Timothy Flint

(inst. 1723; dism. 1732;

d. 1773)

(ord. 1753; d. 1761

(ord. 1762; d. 1763

(ord. 1764; d. 1301

(ord. 1302; dism. 1814;
d. 1839)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons ;

Samuel Johnson
Bphraim Pearce

e. 1735; d. 1765)

e. 1733; res. 1750; d. 1781)

333

John Hey wood

Maj. Jonathan Hubbard, Jr
Benjamin Foster
William Stearns

Josiah Stearns

Samuel Putnam

Obadiah Walker

William Lowe

Jedidiah Bailey

Capt. Benjamin Goodrich

Stephen Stickney

(e. 1739;
d. 1779)

e. 1739;

e. 1750;

!e. 1750;
d. 1792)

;a. 1802)

m. 1765;

e. 1770;

e. 1775;
U. 1775;
(e. 1791;
d. 183^)
(e. 1798;
d. 1838)

res. 1750;

rem. 1756)

rem. 1735)

res. 1791;

d. 1775)
m. 1793)
d. 1307)
d. 1306)
res. 1317;

res. 1825;

The records are owned and held by the Town Clerk.

CR I - "Church Record, 1733." 1733-1805.

CR II - "Church Records, 1805-1337. Town of Lunenburg."

See George A. Cunningham, typescript, "A History of the
Town of Lunenburg in Massachusetts, from the Original
Grant, December 7th, 1719. to January 1st., 1866." Owned
and held by the Town Clerk.

LYNN, First (C).

The church was gathered in somewhat irregular fashion in
the summer of 1632. Dissention arose soon thereafter,

1* The minister and several of those who were to comprise
the church arrived at Boston on June 5- One tradition
places his ordination or installation on June 8, but the
majority of authorities hold that this event took place
during the month of August. See Joseph S. Clark, A His -
torical Sketch of the Congregational Churches in Massachu-
setts, from 1620 to~ T858 (.Boston. 1858 j. pp. I%^l5l
Frederick L. Veis, The Colonial Clerg y and The Colonial
Churches of New 3nr;land (Lancaster, Mass. , 1936), p. 23.

3?4

one party calling in question the church's right to be
considered such. An advisory council was convened, and it
was agreed that the Lynn body was "a true church, though
not constituted, at first, in due order, yet after consent
and practice of a church estate had supplied that defect
• « « «

Nonetheless, "a new church was gathered" at the coning of
the second minister, Nov. S, 1636, to allay any fears°con-
cerning Lynn's ecclesiastical organization.
The parish was organized ca. 1721. It was superceded by
the First Congregational Society, which in turn was dis-
solved at the time of the church's incorporation in 1944-.

Ministers: Stephen Bachiller

Samuel Whiting
Thomas Cobbett

Joseph Whiting

Jeremiah Shepard
Nathaniel Henchman
John Treadwell

Obadiah Parsons
Thomas C. Thacher

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. or inst. 1632; dism.

1636; d. 1660)

(ord. 1636; d. 1679)

(inst. 1637; dism. 1655-

1656; d, 1685)

(ord. teacher 1680; dism.

1680; d. 1723)

(ord. pastor 1680; d. 1720)

(ord. 1720; d. 1761)

(ord. 1763; dism. 1782;

d. 1811)

(inst. 1784; dism. 1792;

a. i8oi)

(ord. 17?A; dism. 1813;
d. 1849)

Deacons: due to the lack of records, nothing is known of
deacons wno may have served at Lynn prior to 1698.

John Ballard
Thomas Laughton, Jr.
Thomas Burrage
Daniel Mansfield
Richard Johnson
John Burrage
Joseph Haven
John Lewis
Joseph Gray
John Burrage

1698; d.
1699; d.
1713; d.
1721; d.
1730; d.
1739; d.
1742; d.
1756; d.
1763; d.
1771; d.

1725

1713

1717

1728

1754)

1761)

1749)

1775-1778)

ca. 1784)

1780)

j- i^s K - ?psmer (ed.), Winthrop ' s Journal (New York,
1908), I, p. 148. See also pp. l6§, 1^1

335

Theophilus Hallowell (e. 1780; res. 1792;

d. 1833)
Capt. William Farrington (e. 1780; res. 1792;

d. 1808)
Nathaniel Sargent (e. 1795; d. 1798)
Jesse Rhodes (e. 1795; d. 1821)

The records antedating 1792 were destroyed by fire many
years ago; the extant records are owned and held by the
church.

OR I - "Church Records. 1792-1813." (Flyleaf: "Records
of the first Congregational Church in Lynn Beginning from
June 1, 1792.") Church records, 1792-1815, with vital
statistics to 1855-

CR II - "Church Records. 1834-1864." (Flyleaf:
of the First Church in Lynn. Vol. 6.")

"Records

CR III - "Church Records. 1864-1874." (Flyleaf: "Records
of the First Church in Lynn Commencing Sept. 12, 1364-.")

CR IV - "Church Records. 1875-1882."

CR V - "Church Records. 1853-1891." (Flyleaf: "First
Church of Christ in Lynn, Church Records Jan. 1883-1891.")

CR VI - MISSING, Church Records, 1891-1907-

PR I - "A Book of Records for y e 1st Parish in Lynn."
1721-1762.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1762-1783.

PR III - "Lynn December 1783. this Book Bought For the
first Parish in Lynn to keep the Records For said Parish
BoughEt] by me Ephraim Breed Prise £ 0-12-0." 1783-1827.

SR IV - "First Congregational Society Lynn 1827." 1827-
1871.

SR V - "Records. 1st Cong. Society." 1870-1902.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1837-
1890; collection of nineteenth century Society Treasurer's
ledgers; Pew Deeds, 1865-1903.

336

See Alonzo Lewis and James R. Newhall, History of Lynn ,
3ssex County , Massachusetts : including LynnrieTS ,~ Saup^is ,
owampscott , and Nahant \ 1629 - 1S64 (Lynn, 1890 [reprint of
1365 edition] i with supplementary volume published at
Lynn, 1897).

LYII1T, North Parish (see Lynnfield).

LYKTC, Second Church and Parish (see Lynnfield)

LY1IN, Second Church and Parish (see Saugus)

LYNN, Third Church and Parish (see Saugus).

LYNN, West Church and Parish (see Saugus).

337

LYNN, Westerly part (meetinghouse at) (see Saugus)

LYNN END, Church (see Lynnfield).

LYNNFIELD, First (U), extinct.
Center (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 17, 1720 as the Second
Church in Lynn. The North Parish had been incorporated
in 1713- In 1782, Lynnfield became a town, and church and
parish were denominated the First.

In 1832, the orthodox withdrew, organizing the Orthodox
Evangelical Society and Evangelical Congregational Church.
During the ensuing years, membership in the First Church
and Parish diminished, and worship under Unitarian auspices
was sporadic. Universalist preaching was heard from 184-9
to 1855* and from then on lay leadership dominated the
older bodies. The First Parish and Church became extinct
after 1936.

The present Congregational Church therefore claims the
founding date of 1720, and holds the old church and oarish
records.

Ministers:

Nathaniel Sparhawk

Stephen Chase

Benjamin .Adams
Joseph Mottey

(ord. 1720; dism. 1731;

d. 1732)

(ord. 1751; res. 1755;

d. 1778)

(ord. 1755; d. 1777)

(ord. 1783; d. 1821)

Ruling elders: none.

1. The area was variously known as "Lynn 2nd" and "Lynn
Farms • "

338

Deacons: William Eaton

John Bancroft

Daniel Townsend
Daniel Mansfield
Nathaniel Bancroft
John Perkins, 3sq.
Samuel Aborn

(e. 1720 ; e. confirmed 1733;

d. ca. 1738)

(e. 1720; e. confirmed 1733;

d. 1768)

(e. 1738; d. 1761)

(e. 1756; d. 1797)

(e. 1763; d. 1810)

(e. 1796; d. 1823) ,

(e. 1804; d. ca. 1864 ) x

The records of the First Parish and Church are owned and
held by the Lynnfield Center Congregational Church.

CR I - "Church Records Town of Lynnfield Massachusetts. "
(Flyleaf: "Deacon John Bancrofts Gift to Y e Church in
I^Tin 2nd Anno Dom: 1732 Lynnfield Essex County Massa-
chusetts The Book of Church Records Novbr: y 29. Anno
Christi 1732.") 1720-1829.

CH I PUB - Ebeneser Parsons, "Church Records of Lynnfield
[A Copy]," SIHC, V (1863), 228-231; "First Book of Records
of the FirsFTJhurch in Lynnfield," on. cit . , aXXIV (1898),
117-193.

3R I - "Records of the Congregational Parish in Lynnfield -
1321." 1821-1907 .

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Book, 1776;
Parish Order Book, 1823-1832.

Records of the orthodox church of 1332 are also held by the
Lynnfield Center Congregational Church. Of the church rec-
ords, the first volume is missing, so that the first extant
entry dates from 1850. The -oarish records are complete
from 1832.

1. Deacon John Swain, who died in 1315, was probably
elected to the diaconate after 1805 •

359

IIALD3N, First Parish (Univ.).
First Church (C).

The church was gathered on Hay 11, 1649. Its parish was
organized in 1739 , following the division of the town into
two precincts and the creation of a church in the Second
or South Precinct in 1734. The older organization (and its
parish) took the title of First (or North) Church and Par-
ish. The Trustees of the Maiden Ministerial Fund were
incorporated in 1807 .

In 1827, parish meetings dominated successively by orthodox
and Universalist majorities voted first to settle an ortho-
dox cleric, then a Universalist. The church voted its
approval of the latter candidate. In 1832, the orthodox
withdrew from the church of the parish, formed their own
society, and took the title of "First Church."
The First Parish meanwhile reorganized, and was incorporated
finally in 1894; its church continued its adherence to
Universalist principles.

Both churches claim the founding date of 1649, although "by
court decision legal title to the ahurch properties belong
to the church of the First Parish.

Ministers: Marmaduke Matthews

Michael Vigglesworth

Benjamin Bunker

Benjamin Blakeman

Thomas Che ever

David Parsons

Joseph Person
Peter Thacher, D.D.

Adoniram Judson

(ord. 1651; rem. 1652;

d. 1683)

(ord. teacher 1656;

d. 1705)

(ord. pastor 1663;

d. 1669/70)

(ord. colleague 1674;

rem. 1679; d. 1638-1700)

(ord. colleague 1681;

dism. 1686; d. 1749)

(ord. 1709; rem. 1721;

d. 1743)

(ord. 1721 ; d. 1767)

(ord. 1770; dism. 1784;

d. 1802)

(ord. 1787; dism. 1791;

d. 1826)

1. The Second or South Church reunited with the First
Church in 1792.

2. Nonetheless, the extant records antedating the separa-
tion remain in the hands of the orthodox body.

340

Eliakim Willis (ord. lialden Second 1752; con-
tinued as pastor of merged
First and Second churches 1792;
d. 1801)

Aaron Green (ord. colleague 1795; res. 1827;

d. 1853)

Ruling elder: Joseph Hills (e. ca. 1657; never ord.)

Deacons: the list is incomplete.

John Upham

(m.

1670/71 r

Capt. John Green

(d.

1707)

Phineas Upham

t:

1720)

John Dexter

1722)

Nathaniel Nichols

(d.

1725)

John Greenland

(m.

1719; d. 1728)

Joseph Green

(d.

1732)

John Pratt

(d.

1742)

3d ward Emerson

(d.

17^3)

James Hovey

(m.

1750-1768)

Thomas Lynd

(m.

1755)

1768)

Ezra Green, Esq.

(d.

John Shute

(m.

1770; d. 1780)

Samuel Howard

(ra.

1771; d. 1775)
1782)

Joseph Caswell

F

Joseph Perkins

1771; d. 1793)
1776; d. 1825)

John Ramsdale

e.

(m.

Ezra Sargeant

1795; res. 1808; d. 1810)

1. I'lichael Wigglesworth records in his diary his success
in preventing Hills' ordination as ruling elder (Edmund S.
Morgan (ed.), "The Diary of I'lichael Wigglesworth," CSHP ,
XXXV [1942-46], 310-444). Ostensibly Hills' presiding over
his own wedding and his peculiar notions about baptism oc-
casioned Wigglesworth* s opposition; furthermore, Hills'
outspoken support of Wigglesworth' s ousted predecessor
probably had considerable to do with spurring the second
minister's campaign to bar the elder-elect from office-
See 0£. cit . , 413-419.

2. BOSTON, CHA2L3ST0WN PIHST, CH I PUB HTCNEWELi,, p. 15.

341

The church records antedating 1770 have long oeen lost.
The extant records of church and parish are divided between
tne two surviving churches, and are separately cited below.
Not listed below, but useful in reconstructing the church's
history are surviving documents from the pen of Micnael
WigGlesworth: Edmund S. Korean (ed.)i "The Diary of Michael
Wigglesworth L1655-1657J , CSKF , XXXV (1942-46), 310-444; a
private diary for 1659-1669, HK, VII (1663), 361-563;
Deloraine P. Corey, "Rev. Michael Wigglesworth L1679-16o0J , "
irEHGR , LV (1901), 39-41. See also by Corey, "Life in the
Old Farsonage 1772-17o4 from tne Diary of Rev. Peter Thacher
Lof Maiden]," MKSR , No, 1 (1910), 36-59-

The records owned by the First Parish in Maiden, Universal-
ist, are deposited in a local bank.

CR I - "Church Records 1826 1882 1885." (Flyleaf:
"Churcn Book, First Parish, Maiden.") 132o-1862, with
vital statistics to 1885-

CR II - "Record E. 1st Parish Maiden." 1868-1903.

PR I - "First Parish 1739-17ati- "

PR II - KISSING, Parish Records, 176o-lo24.

PR III - "Records of the First Parish in Maiden." 1624-1828

PR IV - "Parish Records, 1828-1652."

PR IV DUP - "Parish Records, Jany 25, 1844 June 20, 1854."

PR V - "Parish Records, Feby 2, 1353 April 15, 1869 -"

PR V DUP - "Parish Records, Feby 2, 1353 April 15, 1653 -"

1. Richard Frothingham, Jr., The History of Charlestown ,
Massachusetts (Boston, 1645), pp. 120-130. henry H. Edes ,
Jr. , in 1903 reported the disappearance of the Calley
Diaries supposed to contain some early eighteenth century
Maiden church records. Portions of the Calley Diaries had
been published by Thomas B. V/yrnan, Jr. , "Extracts from the
Diary of Robert Calley of Charlestown, Mass. 1699-1765,"
irEHGR , XVI (1362), 34-40, 129-133, from a MS copy made by
Wyman in 1848; Sdes' report is contained in a letter ap-
pended to the MS copy now owned and held by the New England
Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.

342

PR VI - "First Parish Maiden 1889." 1889-1895-

PR VII - "The First Parish in Maiden Incorporated." 1894-
1906.

Miscellaneous records: Records of Board of Trustees, 1897-
1899.

The records owned by the First Church, Congregational, are
held by that body.

CR I - Church Records, 1770-1831.

CR II - Church Records, 1832-1852.

CR III - Church Records, 1853-1887-

CR I, II, III COPY - A copy, made in 1889.

Miscellaneous records: two Church Registers, 1844ff.

MALDEN, Second (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on April 18, 1734 1 as the Church
in the Second or South Precinct in Maiden, which precinct
was dissolved in 1737- In 1792, this Second or South
Church reunited with Maiden's First Church.

Ministers:

Joseph Stimpson
Aaron Cleveland

Sliakim Willis

(ord. 1735; eta. 1744; d. 1752)

(inst. 1747; dism. 1750;

d. 1757)

(ord. 1752; continued as pastor

of the merged First and Second

churches 1792; d. 1801)

1. According to Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and
The Colonial Churches of Hew Jfrjgland TIanc aster. Mass/,
19^6 J, p. 249, who lists this church under Sverett. Other
authorities date the church's gathering at the time of the
first minister's ordination, Sept. 24, 1735. The extant
records are inconclusive.

34-3

Ruline elders: the list may be incomplete.

Jonathan Sargeant
Ebenezer Upham
Lt. Thomas Burdit

Deacons: the list is incomplete.

(e. 1734)

(e. 1734; m. 174-7)
(e. 174-5; niay have
refused election)

John Mudge
Joses Bucknam

(e. 1734; m. 1747)
(m. 1744-1747)

The only surviving book of records is owned and held by the
First Church, Congregational, of Maiden,

Some aduitional information can be found in Benjamin Rand's
article, "Rev. Aaron Cleveland," NEHGR, XLII (1888), 73-78.

CR I - Records of Ruling Elder Ebenezer Upham, 1744-1747.
The volume also contains records of the Truro church, kept
by his son, Rev, Caleb Upham.

MALDEN, North Church (see Maiden, First Church).

MALDEN, South Church (see Maiden, Second Church)

MANCHESTER (C).

Although the town was incorporated in 1645, the church here
was not gathered until Nov. 7, 1716. ! The Proprietors of the
First Orthodox Congregational Meeting House were organized in
1809, and dissolved in 1848. The First Religious Society was
organized in 1836 and dissolved in 1916.

1. During the early years, Manchester folk were ministered
to by Ralph Smith (sett. 1645-1650), John Winborn (sett. 1680-
1689 ?), John Eveleth (sett. 1689-1695; ord. 1693), John
Emerson (sett. 1695-1697), and Nicholas Webster (sett. 1698-

1715).

344

Ministers: Ames Gheever

(ord. 1716; disci. 1743-1744- ;
d. 1756)

Benjamin Topoan (ord. 1745; d. 1790)

(ord. 1792; d. 1794)

(ord. 1802; dism. 1808;
d. 1852)

Ariel Parish
Abraham Randall

Rulinn elders: none.

o

Deacons: Benjamin Allen
Samuel Lee
Benjamin Lee
Jonathan Herrick
John Tewksbury
John Allen
Jacob Tev/ksbury

(e. 1716; d. 1746)

(e. 1716; d. 175*0

(e. 1730; d. 1757)

(e. 1749; rem. 1778)

(e. 1757 ?; d. 1775)

(e. 1753; d. 1738)

(e. ca. 1788; refused to serve

1792^4; served occasionally

to 1305; served regularly

until d. 1312)

(e. 1805; d. 1837)

Delucena Bingham
The records are owned and held by the church.

OH I - "Manchester Church Records." 1717-1743, largely

vital statistics.

CR II - "A reccord 3ook of the caurch of christ in man-
chester." 1744-1327, with statistics to 1851.

CR III - "Records of the Orthodox Congr. Church, Manches-
ter, Vol. III." 1325-1375.

OR IV - "Manchester, Jan. 17th 1376. Fourth Record Book
of the Orthodox Congl Church, Manchester, Commenced this
day." 1876-1902.

PROP I - Records of the Proprietors of the Meeting House,

1309-1345.

3R I - "Records of the first religious 3ociety in Manches-
ter, March 1, 1836." 1356-1875.

3R II - "1376. Record Book No. 2 of the First Parish in
the Town of Manchester." 1376-1916.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1828-
1863; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1837-1917.

5^5

MANITOUWATTOOTAN (or OHKONKEMME) Indian Church (see West
Tisbury, Christ iantown Praying Town and Indian Church).

MANOMET (see Plymouth, Manomet).

MANSFIELD (U), extinct.

In 1731, a part of Norton was set off as "A Separate Pre-
cinct" (sometimes called the North Precinct), and on
Feb. 23, 1737 a church was gathered here. When the area
became the town of Mansfield in 1770* the church's name
was accordingly changed, and at the same time, a parish
was created.

The orthodox members of the church withdrew in 1838, forming
their own society and reorganizing themselves as a church.
The town (or First Parish) church continued under Unitarian
auspices until 1889, when the ownership of its properties
was transferred to the First Universalist Parish, now also
extinct.

Ministers: Ebenezer White
Roland Green

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. 1737; d. 1761)
(ord. 1761; d. 1808)

Deacons: due to the lack of early records, only an incom-
plete list can be constructed.

Benjamin Williams
Benjamin Skinner
Ephraim Grover
Richard Briggs
Abiel Leonard
John Dean

(d. 1757)

e. 1761)

d. 1766)

e. 1774)
e. 177<0
e. 1784)

The extant records of the church are owned and held as
indicated.

346

C MI3C - "Leisure Hours. No. 1. 1812." (Flyleaf:
"Historical Sketches relating to the Parish and Church in
Mansfield, from their origin to Janry 1812.") Unsigned MS
composed ca. 1812, based on since-lost fragmentary church
records of Green's pastorate. Owned and held by the Town
Clerk.

PR I - Precinct Records, with scattering of church votes,
eighteenth century. Fragile originals in microfilm and
Xerox copy, owned and held by the Universalist Historical
Society Library, Tufts University, Medford.

PR II - "First Congregational Parish of Mansfield."
1889- Owned and held by the Town Clerk.

1318-

See also George F. Clark, History of the Town of Norton,
Bristol County , Massachusetts . From Too9 to 155°; (Boston.
1859.); The History and Conmenoration of loU ~ Years in the
Q^thodox Uonp:rep:ational~(?hurch , Hansfiela^ Massachu setts,
MCMXXXVIII diansfieCT^l^S).

MARBLj^HEAD, First (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 15, 1684, the area having
been served by missionary preacher William Walton from 1638
until his death in 1668. The First Congregational Society
was incorporated in 1824, and dissolved at the incorpora-
tion of the church in 1924.

Ministers: Samuel Cheever

John Barnard
William Whitwell
iSbenezer Hubbard
Samuel Dana

Ruling elders: none.

(sett. 1668; ord. 1684:
d. 1724)

(ord. 1716; d. 1770)

(ord. 1762; d. 1781)

(ord. 1783; d. 1800)

(ord. 1801; res. 1837;
a. 1864)

Deacons: Benjamin Gale (e. 1684; d. by 1716)

Richard Reith (e. 1684; impeached and dism. 1?04:

d. 1707)

547

John Stacey
Joan Merritt
John Dixey
Richard Skinner

John White
John Bay ley-
Benjamin Hendley
Joshua Orne, Jr.
William Gale
Stephen Phillips
Benjamin Stacey
William Williams
John Goodwin
Nathan Bo wen

e. 1703/04;

e. 1705; d.

e. 1706/07;

e. 1706/07;
Church 1716;

(e. 1716; d.

(e. 1727; d.

(e. 1749; d.

e. 1759; d.

e. 1759; n.

e. 1765; d.

e. 1765; m.

e. 1773; m.

(e. 1787; m.

(e. 1787; m.

d. bv 1716)

1707)

d. 1737)

dism. to Second

d. 1729)

1748)

hy 1755)

1764)

1772)

1762)

1811)

1770)

1782)

1825)

1825)

The records are owned and held by the church. Not listed
below, but illuminating in its description of early ,
eighteenth century church life is "Autobiography of the
Rev. John Barnard," MHSC . 3rd Ser. , V (1836), 177-243.

CR I - "First Book Containing the Records of the First Con-
gregational Church in Marblehead Commencing 1684 and ter-
minating 1800." 1684-1801.

CR II - "Second Book Containing the Records of the First
Congregational Church in Marblehead Commencing 1740 and
terminating 1837- " Vital statistics, 1740-1837; church
records, 1802-1837-

CR III - "Third Book Records of the First Church in
Marblehead. " 1837-1857-

CR IV - "Records. 1857 to 1928. First Church in Marble-
head." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Church in Marble-
head from March 27, 1857 to January 1929.")

The terms "proprietors," "parish" and "society" tend to be
used interchangeably, the first predominating until 1857,
and the last thereafter.

MH I - "This Booke Containes The first Motions Towards
building a New Meetteing House in This Towne, of Marble-
head." Scattered records of meetinghouse committee, 1695-
1740.

PROP I - "Record First Congregational Society From 1755
to 1795." (Flyleaf: "The old Meeting-house Book Began
Febry 19.1755 by Fr s Felton Clerk.")

546

PROP II - "Record
to 1825."

First Congregational Society From 1795

PROP/SR III - "Record First Congregational Society in
Marblehead in the County of Essex Incorporated February
7th, 1824." 1824-1866,

SR IV - "Records of the First Congregational Society,
Marblehead, Mass. Commenced February 5th, 1867- " 1867-1888

SR V - Society Records, 1889-1911.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1717-
1836, 1879-1889, 1890-1926; Society Collector's Accounts,
1783-1807; Records and Accounts of Trustees of Monies Be-
queathed to the Church and Society, 1837-1866, 1856-1869,
1856-1866, 1857-1869.

MARBLEHEAD, Second (U).

The church was gathered on April 25, 1716. The Proprietors
of the Second Congregational Society i*ere incorporated in
1851} having organized a century earlier.

Ministers: Edward Holyoke

Simon Bradstreet
Isaac Story

Hezekiah Hay

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. 1716; dism. to presi-
dency of Harvard College 1737;
d. 1769)

(ord. 1737/38; d. 1771)
(ord. colleague 1771;
res. 1802; d. 1816)
(ord. 1303; res. 1808;
d. 1843)

Deacons : Deacon Richard Skinner

Samuel Stacey
John Romans

(e. Marblehead First
Church 1706/07; e. here
1718; d. 1727)
(e. 1713; dism. to Marble-
head First Church 1743)
(e. 1727; m. 1751 )

349

John Pearce

Robert Hooper
William Doliber
Samuel Gatchell
Joseph Ireson
Joseph Butnam

(e. 1742/4-3; rem. 1771 hut re-
mained deacon here; d. 1784)
(e. 17^2/43; d. 1763)

e. 1763; d. 1793)

e. 1763; m. 1795)

e. 1793)

e. 1793)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited with a
local bank. Some of the earlier documents are loaned
during the summer months to the Harblehead Historical
Society for display purposes.

Book No. 1 1716-

1716-

CR I - "Unitarian Records
1793-

GR II - "Second Book Book of Records Harblehead." (Fly-
leaf: "A book of Records. The property of the Second
church of Christ in Harblehead; now under the pastoral care
of Isaac Story, who was ordained M. 1.1771, as a Colleague
with The Revd. Simon Bradstreet. " ) 1793-1811, with vital
statistics to 1838.

CR III - Church Records, 1811-1647. Includes marriage
statistics, 1716-1762, and admissions, 1716-1838.

CR I, II, III COPY & CR IV - "Copy - Church records -
1716-1811 original records 1811 to 1849 Rev. Bartlett.
records: - year 1866 1889 3ev. Appleby Members 1716-1858
Marriages 1716-1698 lacking 1863-1868." Some churcn rec-
ords, 1338-1892.

VS COPY I - "Transcript of Baptisms £c in the 2d Church of
Christ in Harblehead from the Records of the Same." Incom-
plete copy of baptisms and marriages, 1716-1811.

VS COPY II - "Copy of Baptisms, 1716 to 1866 - 1902 to 1905

PROP I - "Proprietors of the new Meeting House &c in
Harblehead their Book . " 1755-1802.

PRO? II - Records of the Proprietors of the Meeting House,
1802-182?.

PROP III - "The Property of New Meeting [House] Parish -
Bought January 16th". 1823." 1827-1359.

PROP IV - "Records of the Second Cong. Society." 1859-1892

350

PROP V - Records of the Proprietors of the Society, 1893-
1953.

Miscellaneous records: Proprietors Committee Records, 1819-
1910; Pew Accounts, 1804-1833.

See also Stephen P. Hathaway, Jr., "The Second Congrega-
tional Church in Marblehead, " EIHC, XXII (1885), 81-102;
Thomas C. Barrow, "Church Politics in Marblehead, 1715 ,"
ibid. , XCVIII (1962), 121-127-

MARION (C).

The town of Rochester was organized in 1686, and a church
gathered there in 1703. A meetinghouse located in the
vicinity of present-day Marion was replaced with another
at Rochester Center. A second precinct was set off in 1736
(modem Mattapoisett), and a third in 1791 (now called
"North Rochester.") The Fourth Congregational Precinct
(Sippican Parish) in Rochester was incorporated in 1798,
and eventually, in 1852, became the town of Marion.
Preaching was heard in Marion as early as 1795; in 1799 the
residents completed their own meetinghouse and Oliver Cobb,
the minister of Rochester's First Church, divided his time
between the two congregations. In 1827, an ecclesiastical
council convened to ordain a colleague instead advised a
division into two distinct churches. Cobb elected to re-
main at Marion; his colleague-elect was ordained over the
Rochester First Church. By terms of the division, the rec-
ords (and continuity) were to remain at Rochester, and a
copy of the records to be provided the Marion church. The
Marion church further agreed to take the name "South Church'
rather than "First Church," the latter title belonging to
the Rochester body.

1. Apparently the records were allocated in direct contra-
diction to the terms of the agreement. This may have in-
clined Frederick L. Weis to present his data for the 1703
church under Marion, rather than under Rochester. See The
Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New England
(Lancaster, Mass., 1936), p. 258.

351

The Proprietors of the Fund for Supporting Public Worship
in the Fourth Congregational Precinct in the Town of
Rochester were incorporated in 1826, the Congregational
Church and Society in Marion in 1856, and the First Congre
gational Society in 1878. The church was incorporated in
1919.

Minister: Oliver Cobb, D.D.

(ord. Rochester First Church
1799, serving congregations
there and at this meeting-
house; served here following
division into two churches
1827; d. 1849)

Ruling elders and deacons: apparently no lay officers were
elected until after 1827-

The earliest Rochester church records date from 1725, and
it is unlikely that separate records were kept at Marion
until 1827. See ROCHESTER FIRST, CR I COPY and CR II.
The Marion records are owned and held by the church, the
first volume apparently having been destroyed in the
hurricane of 1938.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1827-1872.

CR II - Church Records, 1372-1900.

PR I - "Record-Book of the Fourth Precinct in Rochester.
Book I." 1798-1887-

Miscellaneous records:
1915.

Pastors and Deacons Records, 1895-

See The Congregational Church , in Marion (Middleboro, 1859);
L. Cobb , " Historical Sketch of the Congregational Church in
Marion, Mass . : A Sernon (New Bedford, 1862); History ana~
Manual of the Firs~Conp;rep;ational Church Rochester , Mass .
l^O^Tn.p., 1909); Olive H. Somers, From Ministers

->ock to The Meeting House , 1683 - 19^-1 . First Cfonnre national
Church of Marion , Massachusetts (n.p. , 1941).""

352

MARLBORO, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 3, 1666, the First Parish
being organized in 1808. In 183$ the parish was superceded
by the First Evangelical Congregational Society, itself re-
placed by the Union Society of Marlborough, incorporated in
ldJ5. In the latter year the church took the name, Union
Congregational Church; it was incorporated in 1691.

Ministers:

William iirinsmead, Jr.
Robert Ereck
Benjamin Kent

Aaron Smith

Asa Packard

(ord. 1666; d. 1701)

(ord. 1704; d. 1730/31)

Cord. 1733; dism. 1735
d. 1736)

(ord. 1740; dism. 1778

d. 1781)

(ord. 1785; dism. 1806

d. 1843)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: the list is incomplete

e, at :

Least for the

years.

John Ruddock

(e.

1687)

Edward Rice

(e.

1687;

cl.

1712)

John Woods

(e.

1704 ;

d.

ca. 1716)

Joseph Newton

(e.

1710;

d.

1727)

James Woods

(e.

1716;

d.

ca. 1719)

Caleb Rice

(e.

1718/19;

d. 1739)

Thomas ICeyes

(e.

1726)

John Barnes

(e.

1729)

James Woods, Jr.

(e.

17'H)
1741)

Stevens

(e.

Andrew Rice

(e.

1742;

d.

1775)

Joseph Tayntor

Ce.

1742;

d.

1764)

Daniel Barnes

(e.

1762;

d.

1775)

Samuel Stow

(e.

1770;

d.

1818)
1795)

Simon Stow

(e.

1770;

d.

Thomas Howe, Jr.

(e.

177b,

Samuel Howe

(e.

1794;

a.

1820)

Abner Goodell

(e.

1794;

d.

1823)

Josiah Howe

(e.

179S;

d.

1627)

early

The records dating 1704 have long since disappeared.
The extant records are owned and held by the church.

Kot cited below, but useful in the absence of records for
the first pastorate is Samuel A. Green (ed.), "Diary of

353

Rev. William Brinsmead," MHSP, 2nd Ser. , XV (1887-1889),
298-302. Green excerpts aTatin MS notebook, apparently
the second of two volumes, in which Brinsmead recorded ser-
mon notes and miscellaneous church acts.

CR I - "Records of First Church, Marlborough, Vol. I."
1704-1802.

CR II - "Records of The Church of Christ in Marlborough."

1802-1832.

CR III - "Records of the East Church of Christ in Marlbor-
ough. " 1833-1891-

PR I - Parish Records, 1808-1834.
SR II - Society Records, 1835-1892.
SR III - Society Records, 1892-1902.

MARSHFIELD, First (C).

The church was gathered in 1632 in what was then called
Green(s) Harbor; in 1640 the area was made the town of
Marshfield, and the church's name was duly changed. The
First Parish was organized in 1739, and the Trustees of
the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1822.

Ministers:

Richard Blinman
Edward Bulkley

Samuel Arnold

Edward Tompson
James Gardner
Samuel Hill

Joseph Green

Thomas Browne

William Shaw, D.D

(sett. 164-1; rem. 1642;

d. 1687)

(ord. 1642/43; rem. 1656;

d. 1695/96)

(ord. 1658; d. 1693)

(ord. 1696; d. 1704/05)

(ord. 1707; d. 1739)

(ord. 1740; dism. 1752

d. 1764)

(ord. 1753; dism. 1758

d. 1768)

(ord. 1759; dism. 1763

d. 1797)

(ord. 1766; d. 1816)

354

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of early church records, the names
of most of the seventeenth century deacons are unknown.

Josiah Winslow
William Ford
Samuel Arnold
John Foster
Israel Thomas
Thomas Macomber
Thomas Waterman
Nehemiah Thomas
Thomas Dingley
William Weston

by 1676 ) X

1696: d. 1721)

1696)

and ord. 1701: d. 1732)

1717; d. 1755)

1741; d. 177D

1748/495 d. 1774)

1750 ; d. 1782)

1775; d. 1806)

1783; d. 1805)

There are no records antedating 1696. The extant records
are owned by the church and deposited with the Town Clerk.

OR I - "Tibi Domine Jesu - Records of the Church of Christ
in Harshfeild From October 1696 - Deut. 6. 6.7.8. Cetera
desunt & desiderantur. " 1696-174-7.

CR I PUB - George 2. Bowmaa, "Records of the First Church

^^ sh f^ 1 ^i Kasa '»" S2» n C1909), 36-39, 121-123, XXXI
(1933), 117-124, 161-1717 XXXII (1934), 12-21.

CR II - "Church Records." 1747-1850.

CR III - Church Records, 1850-1874.

CR IV - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Con-
gregational Church, Marshfield, Mass. Volume Four.")

?* I " ,"*, Book of Hecords f ftr y e first or South Precinct
In Ilarshfield Bought By Ne: Thomas y e 4-F Day of Auewst
AD 174-7." 1738-1813-

PR II - "Parish Records, 1814-48."

1. PLYMOUTH FIRST, CR PUB I & II, p. 250: "Mris Kargarett
Vinslow, the Relict of Mr. Josiah Vinslow, Deacon of the
church at Marshfeild, in her widow-hood removed hither, &
having lived in communion with us about 7 yeares, she dyed,
September, 28: [1683] being about 75 yeares of age, she was
a very choice christian."

355

PR III - Parish Records, 1849-1919.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1832-
1851; annual Parish Assessors' Rate Books (held by the
church historian) for the years 1798, 1800-1803, 1806,
1808-1823, 1840-1844, 1854-1858, 1860-1872; Parish Treas-
urer's Accounts (held by the church historian), 1894-1916;
Pew Accounts, 1838-1851. 1892-1897 (the latter volume held
by the church historian;.

See Sbenezer Alden, Jr.'s anonymously published Document
of the Pilgrim Conference of Churches , Containing; an His -
torical Sketch of the jflrst Church in Marshfield . "October ,
1834 . No. 4. (n.p. , 1854;; Lysander 3. Richards, History
oT HarshTield (Plymouth, 1901-1905), 2 vols.; Joseph C.
Hagar et alii , Harshfield 70° - 40' W ; 42° - 5jN The
Autobiography of a Pilgrim Town (Harshfield, 1940;.

MARSHFIELD, Harshfield Hills, Second (U).

The church was gathered in 1738/39 as the Second Church in
Harshfield. The Second or North Precinct/Parish/Society
(the names are used interchangeably) was incorporated under
the last-mentioned title in 1738, having been organized in

1713.

Ministers: Atherton Wales (ord. 1739; d. 1795)
Elijah Leonard (ord. 1789; d. 1834)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of records,
none of the names of lay officers have survived.

Church records from the inception of the church were extant
as recently as 1940, when they were excerpted for publica-
tion in Hagar' s tercentenary history (see MARSHFIELD,
First). The present officers of the church and parish
report no knowledge of any records antedating the federa-
tion of the church ca. 1930.

356

MARSHFI3LD, North Parish or Society (see Marshfield,
Marshfield Hills).

MAR3HPE3 (see Mashpee).

MARTHA'S VniST.^D (see Chilmark, Sdgartown, Gay Head,
Gosnold, Tisbury, Vest Tisbury).

MASKP32, Indian Church (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 17, 1670, the territory
having been purchased by Richard Bourne for the perpetual
use of the native population. The district (later town)
of Mashpee was organized in 1763.

During the ministry of William Apes, ca. 1830, a separate
Baptist church was gathered in Mashpee oy Joseph Amos
(Blind Jo); by 1858, the community had largely accepted
Baptist principles, and the 1670 church was so identified.
Today the church is technically interdenominational, and
largely inactive, although the meetinghouse is maintained
as an historical site.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURNE, Herring Fond(s) Indian church. See also two arti-
cles by Gideon Hawley, "Biographical and Topographical
Anecdotes respecting Sandwich and Marstoee," Jan. 1794-,"
KK3C, 1st Ser., Ill (1794, pub. 1810), 188-193; "A Descrip-
tion of Mashpee, in the County of Barnstable. September
16th, 1802," on. cit., 2nd Ser., Ill (1815, ren. 1846),
1-12.

357

Ministers: Richard Bourne

Shear jashub Bourne
Josiah Shanks

Simon Popmonnit
Rowland Cotton

Hon. Ezra Bourne
Solomon Briant

Joseph Briant

Joseph Bourne

Joseph Green

Gideon Hav/ley

Slisha Clap

(ord. 1670, associated with
fourteen Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1682)

(m. 1632-1719)

(Indian preacher, also asso-
ciated with Mashpee Canaumet
Praying Town, ca. 1685)
(Indian preacher, from 1685;
d. 1725-1730)
(ord. Sandwich First 1694- ,
ministered to six Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1721/22)

(prob. not ord.; Indian
mission at Mashpee from 1719;
d. 1764)

(Indian preacher, also asso-
ciated with Bourne [Herring
Pond ( s ) , Mannami t ] , Orl eans
[Potanumaquut] , Yarmouth
[Matakees] from 1720;

d. 1775)

(Indian preacher, also asso-
ciated with Bourne [Pocasset]
and Orleans [Potanumaquut]
1758; d. 1759-1760)
(ord. Mashpee 1729, also
ministered to seven Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1767)

(ord. Marshfield First 1755;
inst. Yarmouth West 1762,
ministered to three Indian
graying towns and churches;
d. 1768)

(ord. 1754 to Indian mission
field; inst. here 1758, as-
sociated with eleven Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1807)
(missionary, m. 1808-1811)

1. Mentioned by Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Com-
pany of 1649 and its Missionary Enterprises," CSMP, XXXVIII
(1947-195D, 174, and not to be confused with the minister
of the same name who served Sandwich First from 1724 to
1761.

358

Phinehas Pish

William Apes

Joseph Amos

(ord. 1812, also ministered at

Bourne [Herring Pond(s)]; rem.

1840; d. 1854)

(Pequot Indian preacher adopted

by the Hastoees, active here

1835-1855)

(Baptist Indian preacher known

as "Blind Jo," active here ca.

1840)

Deacon: Zacheus Popmunet (m. 1767; d. 1770)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

MATTAPOISETT (C).

The church was gathered on July 27, 1736 as the Second
Church in Rochester, the Second Precinct having been incor-
porated the previous month. The Proprietors of the Meeting
House were organized in 1842. "When the area became the
town of Mattapoisett in 1857, the name of the church was
accordingly changed, and three years later, the precinct
was reorganized as the First Precinct in Mattapoisett (and
still continues today).

Ministers: Ivory Hovey, Jr. (ord. 1740; dism. 1768;

d. 1803)
Lemuel LeBaron (ord. 1772; d. 1836)

Ruling elders: George Barlow (e. 1744; m. 1771)

Deacon Nathan Tupper (e. 1744; rem. 1744;

m. 1750 as Matta-
poisett delegate to^
council at Berkley)

Deacons: Joseph Barlow (e. 1742; eta. 1781)

Nathan Tupper (e. 1742; elev. to ruling elder

1744; rem. 1744; m. 1750)

1. FREETOWN, CR I, p. 52.

359

Constant Dexter
Szekiel Clark
Timothy West
Slihu Sherman
Thomas Tobey

(e. 1744; d. 1757)

Ce. 1757; m. 1791)

(e. 1781; eta. 1791 )

(e. 1791; rem. 1799)

(e. 1791; m. 1826)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at a
local bank.

CR I - "Records of the Second Church in Rochester
July 27th. 1736-1857." (Flyleaf: "The Chh Booke - Or
The Records of the Second Chh- in Rochester Which was first
Embodied July 27 1736.")

CR II - "Records Cong. Ch. Vol. II." (Flyleaf: "Second
Volume of Records of Second Church of Rochester [now
Mattapoisett] [Originally organized July 27, 1736.] [Com-
menced April 1. 1858.]") 1858-189*.

CR III - "1894--1923. 'Y e Chh's Book' Vol. III." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the Congregational Church Mattapoisett, Massa-
chusetts. 'The Second Chh. in Rochester.' Vol III 1894-
to 1923.")

PR I - "The Book of Records for Mattapoisett Precinct in
Rochester December the 9th - 1736." 1736-1887.

PR II - "Records of the First Precinct in Mattapoisett
Book 2nd." 1887-present .

MEDFI3LD, First Congregational Parish (U).

The church was gathered in December of 1651. The First
Parish was organized in 1814, and the Trustees of the
Ministerial Fund received incorporation two years later.
A short-lived separation from the church in 1748 failed to
produce a Separate church.

1. C. C. Goen, Revival isn and Separatism in New England,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962; , p."5lFT~

360

Ministers:

John Wilson, Jr.
Joseph Baxter
Jonathan Townsend

Thomas Prentiss, D.D

(ord. 1652;
(ord. 1697;
(ord. 174-5;
d. 1776)
(ord. 1770;

d. 169D
d. 1745)
dism. 1769;

d. 1814)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of early church
records, no names of lay officers antedating 1696 are known
The following served as deacons from that time.

John Harding
John Thurston
Capt. Samuel Barber
Samuel Rocket
Lt. Samuel Smith
George Barber
Peter Balch
3phraim Whe e lock

David Horse
John Pratt
Peter Coolidge
James 3oyden
Daniel Perry
Snoch Adams
Obed Fisher
Jonathan Wight

1696)
1700)
1710)
1710)
1721;
1721;
1739)
1759;

m.
m.

1753)
1744- )

one of the

ag-
grieved brethren 1 ' who left
the church ca. 1740; re-
stored to fellowship 1731)
m. 1753)

(e. 1746;

fe. 1746;

(e. 1753;

(e. 1761;

(e. 1779;

<e. 1779;

U- 1795;

(e. 1804;

m. 175D
m. 1783)
m. 1776)
d. 1304)
m. 1302)
eta. 1827)
d. 1830)

There are no records antedating 1697- The extant records
are owned by the church, and (unless otherwise noted) are
held by the Medfield Historical Society and kept at the
Medfield Public Library.

CR I - "Medfield Church Book. Hay 7, 1758." Church rec-
ords, 1738-1366 (lacuna, 1839-1855); vital statistics,
1697-1860.

C DAYBOOK I - "Journal of the Unitarian Church. First Par-
ish. Medfield, Mass. 1367-1868." Record of church and
parish activities. 1867-1869. Held by the church.

C DAYBOOK II - "Medfield First Parish." Record of church
and parish activities, 1869-1871- Held by the church.

C DAYBOOK III - Church and Parish Daybook, 1872-1375, with
occasional entries to 1877* Held by tne church.

361

CR II - "Minister's Book, 1874-1951- " (Flyleaf: "Records
of First Parish [Church] in Kedfield.") 1874-1951- Held
by the church.

PR I - "Records of The Congregational Parish in Medfield
1814-1834."

PR II - Parish Records, 1835-1860.

PR III - "Property of the First Congregational Parish
stored here for safety. Records." 1861-1908.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Book, 1343-
1904; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1815-1866; Parish Com-
mittee Order Book, 1815-1860.

See Mrs. J- Hardy Henderson, Historical Sketch, of the First
Congrega tional Parish ( Unitarian ), Kedfield , Massachusetts,
l65i-195lTTCecTfieia, 1951, rep. 196?Tr

H2DF0RD, Unitarian-Universalist Church (U/Univ.).

The church was gathered on Feb. 11, 1715, and the First
Parish incorporated in 1824. The Trustees of the Congre-
gational Ministerial Fund for the First Parish in the Town
of Bedford were incorporated in 1827. In 1961, a merger
of the First Parish Church, and two local Universalist
groups created the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Medford

Ministers:

Aaron Porter
Sbenezer Turrell
David Osgood, V.D

(ord. 1715;
(ord. 1724;
(ord. 1774;

d. 1722)
d. 1778)
d. 1822)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Thomas Willis, 3r.
John Whitmore, Sr.
Percival Hall
Thomas Willis, Jr.
Thomas Hall

(e. 1715;

(e. 1715)

(e. 1720)

(e. 1721;

(e. 1726)

res. 1720)

d. 1736)

362

Benjamin Willis (e. 1736: d. 1767)

Jonathan Sradshaw (e. 1755)

Ebenezer Brooks (e. 1759;

Isaac Warren (e. 1767; m.

Samuel Kidder (e. 1767; d»

Richard Hall (e. 1794; m.

Capt. Isaac Warren (e. 1794; d.

Samuel Kidder (e. 1794; ra.

1785)

1777)

ldl4)

ca. 1799)
1514)

The two volumes of records that could be located are owned
by the church, and held by the City Clerk.-

CR I - "Records of the First Church, Kedford. 1712-1773."

VS I PUB - "Church Records, - 1713-1721," NHR, VIII (1905),
32. Admissions only.

CR II - "Records of the First Church, Medford. 1774-1823."

See J. T. McCollum, Historical Discourse , A Sermon Preached
|i the Semi-Centennial Annive rsary of the First Trinitarian
Conr_l Church of Kedford (Kedford. 187577 Moses W. Kami.
"Ye oide Meeting-House of Keadford," MHR, XI (1908), 25-42

KEDWAY, Second (Federated) Church of West Kedway (C).

The first church in Kedway was gathered in 1714. In 1748,
the town was divided into western and eastern precincts,
the latter containing the original church of the town.
This eastern precinct in lo85 became the town of Willis,
which therefore contains the original First Church of
Kedway.

1.

95-

See "Extracts from Dea. Willis's Diary," KHR, V (1902),

2. During the months this inventory was being compiled,
the church was involved in negotiating the merger consum-
mated in 1961. Churcn officers were unable to locate any
records other than those cited here.

363

The Second Church in Medway was gathered in the Vest Pre-
cinct on Oct. 4, 1750. The federation is of very recent

date.

Ministers:

David Thurston
David Sanf ord

ord. 1752; res. 1769; d. 1777)
ord. 1773; d. 1810)

Ruling elders:

Capt. Nathaniel Whiting (e. 1753)

John Pond (e. 1753; d. 1763)

John Pond, Jr. (e. 1763)

Deacons: Nathaniel Cutler
Joseph Holbrook
Jonathan Metcalf
Samuel Fisher
James Morse
Moses Hill
Joseph Ware
Jonathan Metcalf
Nathaniel Cutler

(e.
(e.

1777)

1798)
1801; res
1805; res

1831)
1831)

The church officers report no records extant antedating the
present century. Records for the first pastorate were ap-
parently extant at the time E. 0. Jameson published The
History of Medway , Mass ., 1713 - 1885 (Millis, 1886), but
have since disappeared.

The Congregational Library, Boston, holds a packet of mis-
cellaneous papers, including records of scattered church
votes taken by the First and Second Churches of Medway.
See E. 0. Jameson, Historical Discourse , 1714-1876 (Boston,
1877); 3. 0. Jameson. History of Medway , Mass . , 1713- 1885
(Millis, 1886); George F. Partridge, history of the Town
of Bellin^ham, Massachusetts , 1719 - 1919 (Bellingham, 1919) ,
especially pp. 79-80; Herbert N. Hixon, October 4th 1^50 -
October 7 -8th 1850 Historical Address ftiven at the Bi-
centennial of the Second Church of Christ in Midway «est
Medway , Massachusetts (n.p. , 19507; and the several church
Manuals , especially the one printed at Boston in 1879-

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Cler^
Churches of New England (.Lancaster, Mass. ,
lists this church as the First Congregational Church,

West Medway, v/hich is not an independent town. C. C

and The Colonial

T3?67Tp. 278,

under

Goen,

Revivalism and Separatism in New -England , 1740 - 1800 (New
"London, 1962;, pp. 335, 315, lists this as a

Haven

and
Separate church for the duration of the first pastorate,
but the evidence presented is inconclusive.

364

MEDWAY, East Church., Precinct^ Parish (see Millis)

NEDVAY, First Church and Parish (see Millis).

KEDWAY, West Precinct. Parish
Church of West Medway;.

(see Medway, Second (Federated)

K3ETD0N, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Dec. 1, 1669. The First Congre-
gational Society was incorporated in 1734 and dissolved in
1792, being effectually superceded by the First Parish,
which had taken form some years earlier in succession to
the precinct organization.

Prior to the gathering of the church, preaching was sun-
plied by Benjamin ^liot (1667-1668) and John Rayner, Jr.
(1663^1669) » sometimes cited as the church's first minis-
ters.

Ministers: Joseph Emerson

Grindall Rawson
Joseph Dorr
Joseph Willard

(ord. 1669; rem. 1675;
d. 1679/80)

t ord. 1634; d. 1714/15)
ord. 1716; d. 176S)

.ord. 1769; dism. 1782;
d. 1323)

1. See George
Mendon?" NSHGR.

P. Clark, "who Vas the
XXXV (1381), 157-159.

First Minister of

565

Caleb Alexander (inst. 1786; dism. 1802;

d. 1828)
Preserved Smith (inst. 1805; dism. 1812;

d. 183*0

Ruling- elders and deacons: due to the lack of early church
records, the listings are incomplete.

Ruling elders:

Deacon John Jones
Josiah Adams

(e. 1755/56)
(e. 1757)

Deacons :

Stephen Cook
John Jones

Jacob Aldrich
Nathaniel Kelson
Nathaniel Jones
Edward Rawson
Josiah Adams
Capt. Peter Penniman
John Tyler
Seth Chapin
Nathaniel Rawson

Joan Hayward

(m. 1728; elev. to ruling

elder 1755/56)

(e. 1757)

(e. 1757)

(e. 1757)

(m. 1768; d. ca. 17*2)

(m. 1768-17987"

(e. 1780)

(e. 1786)

(e. 1787; res. 1805)

(e. 179^; dism. and rem.

1795)

(e. 1802; m. 1805)

There are no records antedating 1728; the extant records
are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "The Church Book." (Flyleaf: "Kendon Chh Book of
Records from the first Constitution of Sd Chh in order to
have all tne Transactions of the Said Chh. as far as way
appear Either by [ illegible ] or otherwise to be Entree, for
the Benefit and Use of the Chh. So far as the Chh Shall
Judge necessary. The Church Book For the first Church in
Kendon.") Church records, 1728-1787 (lacuna, 1757-1768);
vital statistics: baotisns, 1769-1786; admissions, 1769-
1780; marriages, 1786-17SG.

CR II - "The Records of the first Congregational Church in
Kendon. Given to the Church by the hon bIe Peter Penniman. "
1785-1814.

CR III - KISSING, Church Records, 1814-1851.

CR IV - "Records of the First Church In Kendon Mass. From
Jan. 1. AD. 1831." 1851-1911.

PR I - "Parish Records, Book 1." 1742-1802.

1. See Waltham, First Parish.

366

PR II - Parish Records, 1302-1850.

PR III - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Par-
ish in Mendon, 1850.") 1850-1944- -

Miscellaneous records: Records of Parish Subscribers
toward the New Meeting House, 1819-1822 (with financial
statements to 1840); Accounts of Parish Subscribers, 1819-
1825.

See Carlton A. Staples, An Address at Mendon , Mass . , before
the Worcester County Unitarian Conference , at the Autumnal
Session , Sept . 10, 1875 , on the History of the First Church
H that ?own (nTTforoV1875).

MKNDON, Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Kay 31, 1749, and about the time
of the minister's removal in 1758 ? drifted briefly into the
Baptist camp, before becoming extinct.

Minister: Samuel tfovey (ord. 1749; rem. ca. 1758;

d. after 1770)

No records of this churcn are known to be extant. See

C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New gn n;l and , 1740 -

1800 (New Haven and London, 1962), pp.T44, 3157"

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New l^n^land (Lancaster, Mass. , 1936), p. 260,
lists this church under Milford, assuming that its surviving
members were assimilated by the Baptist church in that town.

367

MENDGN, East(erly) Precinct (see Milford)

MENDON, Second Church, Precinct, Parish (see Milford)

MENDON, South Church and Precinct (see Blackstone)

KSNOTOMI Precinct (see Arlinrrton).

MSRRIMAC (C).

The church was gathered on May 19, 1726 as the Second
(West) Church in Amesbury, the West Precinct having been
incorporated the previous year. 1 The area became the town
of Merrimac in 1876, and three years later the First
Orthodox Congregational Society was incorporated, replacing
the earlier West Parish Congregational Society. The newer
society was in turn dissolved at the incorporation of the
First Orthodox Congregational Church of Merrimac in 1894.

Ministers :

Paine Wingate
Francis Welch
David Smith
Samuel Mead

ford- 1726; d. 1786)

Cord. 1789; d. 1795)

(ord. 1795; dism. 1800; d. 1837)

(inst. 1804; d. 1818)

Ruling elders: none.

1. Emil Oberholzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints (New York,
1956), p. 340, mistakenly identifies this church as the
Rocky Hill Church of Amesbury, but corrects himself on

p. 347.

368

Deacons : Abraham Merrill
Thomas Colby
Thomas Stevens
Joseph Bartlett
lit. John Hoyt
Capt. John Sargent
William Moulton
Capt. Stephen Sargent
Thomas Rowell, Esq.
Nathan Currier
Lt. John Koyt
Orlando Sargent
William Pecker
Willis Patten

1726; d.
1726; d.
1727/28 ;
1727/28 ;
1739; d.
17^7; d.
1758; d.
1758; m.
1763; d.
1763; nu
1763; d.
ca. 1776
T792)
1792)

ca. 17*5)

ca. 1738)
dism. 1761)
d. 175^)
1757)
ca. 1763)
ca. 1763)
1772)
1790)
1766)
1795-1807 )

The records^are owned by the church and deposited with a
local bank.

CR I - "Pain Wingate his Book- Records of the Second Church
of Christ in Amesbury, which was gathered Nay 19, 1726."
1726-1782, with vital statistics to 1789-

VS I PUB - David W. Hoyt, The Old Families of Salisbury and
Amesbury , Massachusetts , With Some Related Tamilies of Ad-
.joining Towns and of ^ork County , Maine . Vol . IlT"(7rovT-
dence, 1902 ) , pp. 558-553. VTEal statistics drawn from
CR I and from Wingate's private record, then in the hands
of one of his descendents.

VS I PUB 3IHC - "Amesbury Church Records," J3IHC, LXXVII
(1941), 291-293. Admissions and dismissions7~T726-1792.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors 1 Rate Books, 1824,
1825, 1826, 1827; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1820-1832.

See Joseph Merrill, History of Amesbury Including the First
Seventeen Years of Salisbury , to the Separation xn 1654 ;
and Merrimac from Its Incorporation in 1376 (Haverhill,
1880); Emily B. Smith, "For Ready Reference: A Chronological

Record of the Principal invents That Have Occurred in Ames -
bur:/ , Massachusetts , from the Organization of the Township

1. The Essex North Association's Contributions to the
Ecclesiastical History of Essex County (Boston, TS65T7
p. 301, remarks "the loss of a portion, and the imperfec-
tion of all the records . . . ." The lost portions now
include all of Merrimac 1 s ecclesiastical records of the
nineteenth century.

369

of Nerrimac in 1638 to 1900 (Amesbury, 1901); and the
church's Manuals , published at Boston (1856) and Nerrimac
(189^).

METHUEN, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 29, 1729, and its parish
was organized in the same year.

Ministers: Christopher Sargeant
Simon F. Williams
Humphrey C. Perley

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Robert Swan

William Gutterson
Joseph How
James Wilson
Francis Swan
Ebenezer Barker
James How, Jr.
Samuel Cole
John Harris
Elijah Sargent
Josiah Osgood
William Cross
John Huse
Samuel Webster
Timothy i2merson

(ord. 1729; res. 1783;
d. 1790)

(ord- 1786; dism. 1791;
d. 1800)

(ord. 1795; dism, 1815;
d. 1838)

1729; d. 174?)

1729; d. 1742)

1732; d. 177D

1735; d. ca. 1755)

1752; res. and rem. 1778)

1756; m. 1770)

1764: d. 1806)

1771)

1778: res. 1783; d. 1801)

1778)

ca. 1783; d. 1788)

ca. 1792; d. 1803)

1796; d. 1802)

1796; d. 1804)

1804; d. 1818)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Book of Methuen. " (Flyleaf: "Methuen-
C^urch-Book 1730 Christopher Sargeant Pastor A Record of
y Transactions of Sd: Chh under y Pastoral Cr of Chris-
topher Sargeant.") 1729-1816.

370

CR II - "A Book of the Records of y first Church of
Christ in Methuen, Massachusetts." 1815-1832.

CR III - "First Church Congregational Methuen, Mass.
Record 3ook 1832-1852." (Flyleaf: "Records of the first
Congregational Church Methuen.")

CR IV - Church Records, 1852-1884.

CR V - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Methuen, Mass. 1885." 1885-1924.

PR I - "Parish Records - 1781 to 1812."

Miscellaneous records: Church Registers, 1729-1922, 1894-
1929; Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1340-1857; Parish
Treasurer's Accounts, 1801-1855; Parish Tax Lists, 1856-
1861; Pew Tax Lists, 1856-1899, 1885-1922; Pew Receipts,
1855-1892; Pew Deeds, 1832-1855; Proprietors Records, 1854-
1855; Proprietors Accounts, 1842-1849.

l-OSTHUEiT, Second (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on April 16, 1766, and the Second
Parish, organized in the same year, was incorporated in
1807. The parish was dissolved in 1816, and on April 16,
1817, the Second Church merged with the First Church.
Then in 1830, the Second Church was briefly revived, only
to return to the First again within the decade.

Ministers:

Eliphaz
John H.

Chapman
Stevens

[Josiah Hill

Cord. 1772;

(ord. 1791;

d. 185D

(sett. 1832-1833)]

rem. 1777; d. 1814)
dism. 1795;

The fragmentary parish records reported by Frederick D.
Hayward, A Short History of The First Church and Parish of
Methuen , Massachusetts , 1729^1^29 (Methuen, 1929), p. 15,
have drooped from sirht, and there is no other record of
the church's lay officers. See also D. Hamilton Hurd (ed.),
History of Sssex County , Massachusetts , with Biographical
Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men
(AiladelpEiaTT355)7T,"7S7:

371

HIDDLEBORO, Titicut Indian Church (C), extinct. X

The church was gathered ca. 1674- although missionary activ-
ity had encouraged the natives to erect a meetinghouse as
early as 1665. Early in the eighteenth century, this
church absorbed the membership of Lakeville' s Nemasket and
Assawompsett Indian churches. The Titicut church became
extinct in 1760, when the surviving members began worship-
ping at Hiddleboro's North Church.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under BOURNE,
Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: John Cotton, Jr,

John Sassamon'

Stephen

Samuel Danforth

Charles Aham
Peter Thacher

Nehemiah Abel
Thomas Sekins
Thomas Felix

John Simon(s)

(Indian mission on the Vine-
yard 1664-1667; ord. Plymouth
First 1669, also ministered
to two dozen Indian praying
towns and churches: rem. 1697;
d. 1699)

(Punkapoag Indian; served the
English during Pequot War 1637;
Harvard educated; schoolmaster
at Natick; secretary to King
Philip. Indian preacher here
and at Lakeville [Nemasket,
Assawompsett]; d. 1675/76)
(Indian preacher here and at
Lakeville [Nemasket] ca. 1685)
(ord. Taunton 1687, associated
with seven Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1727)
(Indian preacher ca. 1698)
(ord. Iliddleboro T709, asso-
ciated with three Indian pray-
ing towns and churches;
d. 1744)

(Indian preacher; rem. by 1712)
(Indian preacher, rem. by 1712)
(Indian preacher and magis-
trate, ca. 1712)
(Indian preacher from 1698;
rem. by 1714)

1. The Indian name is variously given as "Cotuhtikut" and
"Kehtehticut."

2. Sometimes given as "Wassausmon. "

372

Joseph Joshnin (Indian preacher 1710-1718)
John Symons (Indian preacher 174-7-1757)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
ITatick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

HIDDL3B030, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec, 26, 16 °A, and a parish
organization created about the same tine. In 1744» a divi-
sion over the choice of a new minister resulted in the
large majority of the church voting to settle New Light
Sylvanus Conant, with the parish vetoing the church's ac-
tion. The church requested an ecclesiastical council, and
on its advice and with its assistance, proceeded to
Conant' s ordination. The parish thereupon extended a call
to uld Light Thomas Weld, and brought about his ordination
to the ministry of the "standing party" of the church.
The parish and "standing party" controlling the meeting-
house, the Conant faction withdrew, erected their own
meetinghouse and proceeded as a "Second Church." 7ithin
a few years, /eld's adherents became dissatisfied with his
ministry, and finally effected his dismissal from his post.
The two churches now moved closer together, and reunited
in 1756.

The town had been divided into two precincts in 1719, the
1694- church bein': located in the First or ^ast Precinct, 2
and the Second Precinct constituting present-day Lakeville.
The precinct nomenclature was retained at the incorporation
in 1803 of the Trustees of the Funds for the Support of a
Congregational Teacher of Piety, Religion and Morality in
the First Precinct. The First Parish, so-called, was
organized in 1868.

1. The church's publications omit Weld from the list
ministers, tracing the ministerial continuity through
Conant.

of

2. A Third Precinct, created in 17^3, is now known as
"North Kiddleboro."

373

Ministers:

Samuel Puller
Thomas Palmer

Peter Thacher
Thomas V/eld

Sylvanus Conant

Joseph Barker

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : John Bennett

Sbenezer Tinkham
Jonathan Cobb
Samuel Barrows
Ephraim Wood
Samuel Wood

Ebenezer Pinnea
Gershom Cobb

Benjamin Tucker

Nathan Bassett

Benjamin Thomas
Ichabod Morton
Abner Bourne
Perez Thomas
Capt. Joshua Eddy

(ord. 1694; d. 1695)

(ord. 1702; dism. 1708;

d. 174-3)

(ord. 1709; d. 1744- )

(ord. 174-5; dism. 174-9;

d. 1755)

(ord. Middleboro Second Church

1745; sett, over both churches

17^8; d. 1777)

(ord. 1781; d. 1815)

(e. and ord. 1695; d. 1718 ?)
(d. 1718 ?)

(d. 1728) ,

(e. 1724; ord. 1725; d. 1755) 1
(e. 1724; ord. 1725; d. 1744)
(e. 1735; ord. 1737; rem. to
Middleboro Second Church 1745;
probably served reunified
church 1746; d. by 1754) P
(e. 1735; ord. 1737; d B 1745)"
(e. Middleboro Second Church
1745; probably served reunified
church 1748; rem. n.d.)
(e. Middleboro Second Church
1745; probably served reunified
church 1748; d. 1781)
(e. 1746; did not served re-
unified church)

e. 1776; d. 1800)

e. 1782; d. 1809)

e. 1796; d. 1806)

(e. 1803; d. 1828)

(e. 1805; d. 1833)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CH I - "Copy of the record of the 1st Church in Middlebor-
ough or rather the most ancient part thereof." Twelve MS

1. An Old Light who remained with the "standing party"
supporting Weld.

2. Variously given as "Finney" and "Phinea." Probably a
New Light.

374

pages, copied by Sbenezer Fuller, dealing with the gather-
ing of the church and events immediately thereafter.

CR II - "The Book of Church Records." 1707-1821.

CR III - DSSTR0Y3D by fire, Church Records, 1820-1866.

CR IV - "Records of the First Church of Middleboro.

1958.

1866-

Miscellaneous
1900.

records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1839-

See Isaac Backus, "An Historical Account of Iiiddleborough,
in the County of Plymouth," ISH5C . 1st Ser. , III (1794, pub-
lished 1810), 14-3-153; Israel '.v. Putnam, Two Discourses " on
The Divine Faithfulness , as Illustrated in the History ~or~
ESS J irst Church in niddleborou.^h , Mass . durinpfthe Period
of One Hundred and Fifty Years (Boston. 1852; re~Boston,
185^ under the title First Church in Iiiddleborough . Mass:
Mr. Putnam's Century and a ialf Discourses

;aT

account

:at.

of the Town of Kid dleboro.

and a Half Discourses ; An Historical
Q Rue of Members ,); Thomas~7eston. History

Mass ac hu s e 1 1 s (Boston and New

MIDDLEBORO, Second (C), extinct.

This church, which began its separate existence in 1745,
was in fact reunited with Middleboro 1 s First Church in
17^3, although legal reunification was delayed until 1756

Minister: Sylvanus Conant (ord u 17^5; sett, over both

churches 17^3; d. 1777)

Ruling elders: none.

1. The original from which Fuller made his copy was re-
ported lost in 175^- The copy itself was lost about the
same time, and restored to the church in 1826. Since the
original must have extended into the eighteenth century,
it is to be regretted that FiiITa-p dirt nnt maVo o s*™n-rOa-t-
copy.

regretted that Fuller did not make a complete

375

Deacons: Samuel Wood

Benjamin Tucker
Gershom Cobb

(e. Middleboro First Church 1735;
ord. 1737; rem. here 174-5; prob-
ably served reunified church
1748; d. by 175^)
(e. 1745; probably served reuni-
fied church 1748; d. 1781)
(e. 1745; probably served reuni-
fied church 1748; rem. n.d.)

The only records are the references to be found in MIDDLE-
BORO FIRST, CR II. See the secondary sources listed under
that church.

MIDDLEBORO, North (C).

Historians have expressed some uncertainty as to whether
this church represents one continuous organization from
1748 or alternatively, from 1756, or else comprises a
sequence of two churches, one extinct and one still sur-
viving.

This northern section of Middleboro (adjoining the southern
part of Bridgewater) was set off as Titicut Precinct in
1743, and so incorporated the following year. The minis-
terial choice of the majority of the precinct was Isaac
Backus, a Connecticut Separate, who scrupled against becom-
ing a minister of the standing order. Nonetheless, on
Feb. 16, 1748, a church was gathered here, strongly com-
mitted to Separate principles.

The community was not long in dividing into three or four
factions. A Baptist group, led by Ebenezer Hinds, opposed
the church's practice of mixed communion with pedobaptists.
The pedobaptists were divided between such as approved
Backus 1 attitudes on church discipline, and those opposed.

1. See Isaac Backus, A [ Church ] History of New England , II
(Providence, 1784), pp. 206-207 ; III (Boston, 1796), pp. 135-
137. The above reconstruction of events at Titicut owes
much to the studies of John M. Bumsted, "The Pilgrims'
Progress: The Ecclesiastical History of Southeastern Massa-
chusetts, 1620-1775" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, De-
partment of History, Brown University, 1965)*

376

Some evidence exists of s fourth group, pedobaptists opposed
to mixed communion with Baptists.

Midway in 1753 Backus and his supporters confessed them-
selves censurable, and were reconciled to their pro-mixed-
communion pedobaptist critics. Many of these now followed
Backus into the Baptist denomination in 1756.
The present North Congregational Church appears to have been
constituted in 1756 by such as did not accompany Backus;
they comprised persons dismissed from the First Churches of
Middleboro and Bridgewater, together with pedobaptist rem-
nants of the 1748-1756 Separate mixed communion church, al-
though it is uncertain whether or not a covenanting de novo
was made in 1756.

Ministers: Isaac Backus

Solomon Reed
David Gurney

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan Woods

Israel Washburn
Joshua (?) Fobes
Samuel Keith
Zephaniah Willes
Daniel Leach
Isaac Perkins

(ord. 17^8; adopted Baptist prin-
ciples 1751; inst. Titicut Bap-
tist Church 1756; d. 1806)
(sett. 1756; d. 1785)
(ord. 1787; d. 1815)

(e. 174-8; adopted Baptist prin-
ciples 174-9 and withdrew from
church fellowship)
(e. 1748)
(e. 1760)

(e. 1764; m. 1769)
(e. 1766; m. 1769)
(e. ca. 1778; m. 1793)
(e. 1799; m. 1808)

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - "The Records of The Church of Christ, In the Joyning
Borders of Bridgewater & Middleborough. " 1747/48-1754.
Owned and held as part of the Backus Collection by the
Library of Andover Newton Theological School, Newton Centre.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church, Titicut
Precinct. " 1756-1785.

CR I, II COPT - "Records of Mr. Isaac Backus." Contents
rearranged, with explanatory notes and miscellaneous en-
closures.

CR III - "A Book of Church Records." 1787-1850.

577

CR IV - "Records of the Congregational Church in N. Middle
boro'." 1851-1890.

CR V - Church Records, 1886-1900.

PR I - "Parish Records, 1836-1907."

Miscellaneous records: Precinct Treasurer's Accounts,
1813-1927; Pewholders Records, 1876-1893.

See also S. Hopkins Emery, The History of the Church of
North MiddleborouKh , Massachusetts (MidaTeborough, 1875).

MIDDLEBORO, Separate (C), extinct.

A church was gathered in the Beech Woods section of Middle-
boro (now lying in Lakeville) on Oct. 3, 1751* Following
the death of the minister in 1756, the church members joined
forces with the persons gathering the Beech Woods Baptist
Church.

Minister: James Mead (ord. 1751; d. 1756)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the absence of any rec-
ords, only one name has survived for this church's five-
year Separate Congregational phase, that of Deacon William

Smith.

See Gladys DeM. Vigers, History of the Town of Lakeville .
Massachusetts (n.p. , 1952); C. C. Goen, Revivalism and
Separatism in New England , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London,
1962), p. 3T5.

378

MIDDL3BOR0, Assawompsett Indian Church (see Lakeville,
Assawompsett Indian Church). '

MIDDLEBORO, Beech Woods Church (see Kiddleboro, Separat
Congregational).

MIDDL2B0R0, Sast Precinct (see Middleboro, First).

KIDDLSBORO, Nemasket Indian Church (see Lakeville, Nemasket
Indian Church).

MIDDL3B0R0UGH,
Precinct).

Second Church (see Lakeville and Taunton

MIDDLEBORO, Third Church (see Middleboro, North).

379

MIDDLEBORO, Titicut Precinct, Church (see Middleboro, North)

MIDDLEBOROUGH, West Precinct (see Lakeville and Taunton
Precinct).

MIDDLEBOROUGH AND HALIFAX, Church (see Halifax).

MIDDLEBOROUGH AND TAUNTON PRECINCT, Society (see Lakeville
and Taunton Precinct).

MIDDLEFIELD (C).

The church was gathered on Nov, 18, 1783, and the First
Congregational Society incorporated in the same year. The
church received incorporation in 1892.

Minister: Jonathan Nash (ord. 1792; dism. 1832; d. 1834)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: David Mack

Job Robbins fe. 1783; d. 1828)
Daniel Chapman (m. 1794)

(e. 1783; d. 1845)

530

There are no records antedating 1792; the extant records
are owned and held by the church -

VS I - "Middlefield - Novbr - 1792 - A Record of Baptisms,
Deaths, and Marriages, from the 31st Octbr 1792 - Also of
those who are admitted to full communion with the Church
from the same date." Vital statistics only, 1792-1803.
Bound inside SR I.

CR II - "A book of Records for the Church; including the
articles of faith and covenant upon which the Chh first
embodied; Also a record of baptisms, and admissions into
the Chh — Likewise a record of Deaths, and marriages in
the Town: from the 1st January 1803." 1806-1854.

CR III - "Book of Records made for the Cong. Church in
Middlefield, Vol. 2d continued from the 1st, commencing
June 28th, 18 5^. " 1854--1924-.

SR I - "Clerk's Book of Records for Congregational Society
in Middlefield A.D. 1832." 1832-1892.

Miscellaneous records: Register of church members and
officers, compiled ca. 1900.

MIDDLE GRANVILLE Parish (see Granville, Second, West).

HIDDLETON (C).

(Univ.), extinct.

The church was gathered on Oct. 22, 1729. In 1831, when
the minister of their choice proved unacceptable to the
"parish," the orthodox v/ithdrew and organized their own
Evengelical Congregational Society. The minority of the
church and members of the "parish" saw to the organizing
of a Congregational Society in 1832, but found themselves

381

unable to support the Universalist ministry of their choice
By 1846 the records and much of the church property had
been turned over to the orthodox group. The Universalist
society and church did not survive the nineteenth century;
the Congregational church and society (incorporated as one
in 1950) is the surviving descendent of the 1729 church.

Ministers:

Andrew Peters
Elias Smith
Solomon Adams

(ord. 1729; d. 1756
ford, 1759; d. 1792
(ord. 1793; d. 1813

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Berry

Samuel Symonds
Edward Putnam, Jr.
Samuel Nichols
Francis Peabody, Jr
John Flint
Samuel Symonds
Benjamin Peabody
John Nichols

(e. 1729; eta.

(e. 1729; eta.

(e. 1738; eta.

Ce. 174-9; eta.

Ce. 1756; eta.

(e. 1778; eta.

(e. 1780; eta.

Ce. 1794; eta.

(e. 1794; eta.

1738

1755

1755

1778)

1794)

1780)

1792

1820

1821

The records of the extinct Universalist church and society
have not survived. The extant records are owned by the
church, and held by the Town Clerk, unless otherwise noted.

CR I - Church Records. Vital statistics, 1729-1759; stat-
istics and records, 1759-1832.

CR II - Church Records, 1832-1855-

CR III - Church Records, 1855-1949. Held by the church.

SR I - "Records of the Evangelical Congregational Society
in Middleton. November A.D. 1831." 1831-1850.

PR II - "The Evangelical Congregational Church Parish Rec-
ords of Middleton,' Mass." 1849-1950. Held by the church.

Miscellaneous records: Church Contributions, 1875-1879* in
volume entitled "Middletown Church Records," owned and held
by the Essex Institute, Saiem.

1. Four ruling elders were elected on March 9* 1820, but
the records make no further mention of them; quite possibly
they never assumed office.

382

See The Origin and History of the " Church of Christ in
MlddTet on t " with the Covenant , ~(?onfession o? Faith , £c . ,
and List ~of Members (Salem, 1850 )\ Laura W. Watkins,
TSstory oT~the Middleton Congregational Church (Boston,

195*0.

MILFORD, First (C).

The church was gathered on April 15* 1741 as the Second
or East Church in Mendon, the East Precinct being incorpo-
rated in the same year. In 1780 the precinct became the
town of Milford, and the church's name was duly changed.
The First Congregational Society was organized in 1815.

Ministers: Amariah Frost (ord. 1743; d. 1792)

David Long (ord. 1801; res. 184-4; d. 1850)

Ruling elders :

John Jones

Josiah Adams

Deacon

Deacon

Deacon

Deacon

Nathaniel Nelson
Abraham Jones
Daniel Corbett
John Chapin, Jr.

(e. 1741)

e. 1741

e. 1752

e. 1754

e. 1759)

e. 1785)

Deacons: Nathaniel Nelson

Abraham Jones

John Chapin
Habijah French
Daniel Corbett

Gideon Albee
John Chapin, Jr.

Seth Nelson
Sbenezer Reed
Robert Sanders, Jr.
Nathan Chaoin

(e. 1741 ; elev. to ruling
elder 1752)

(e. 1743-1744; elev. to
ruling elder 1754)

e. 1749)

e. 1749)

e. 1749; elev. to ruling
elder 1759)
(e. 1763)

(e. 1774; elev. to ruling
elder 1785)
(e. 1786)

e. 1786)

e. 1802)
(e. 1802)

Church records antedating 1877 were destroyed by flooding
of the storage area in 1938 and 1939; the extant records

383

are owned by the church and deposited at a local bank,

CR I - "Record." 1877-1944.

PR I - "A Book of Records Belonging to the Easterly Pre-
cinct in Mendon. This Book Belongs to The Second Precinct
in Mendon - 1777- Vol. I." Precinct/town records, 1741-
1797.

SR II - "Records of the Congregational Parish in Milford,
Massachusetts. Vol. II." 1815-1856.

SR III - "Records" "Vol. No. 3." (Flyleaf: "Records of
the First Congregational Society in Milford.") 1857-1882.

SR .IV - "Record of the First Congregational Society in
Milford. " 1882-1920.

Miscellaneous records: Church
1895; Parish Register, 1864.

Treasurer's Accounts, 1865-

See The Confession of Faith and Covenant of the First Con -
gregational ChurcE 1 ~In Milford , Mass . flitE a grief Sketch
of the Church / and List of Its Members . !Toy7 8, 1852~
THiTTord, 1832)T lTreeorano r Covenant Udoptetl Au g ."TT 'l86£ )
of the First Congregational ChurchT in Milford , ^ass .
^r^ani zed April 15 i 1741 . Vith a List of Its Officers and
Members T Milf ord, 1866 ) ; One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniver -
sary of " the Organization of the First^onKrepational _ Church ,
Milf o:

T75T

oi tne urganization oi -cne nrst oongregarionai onurcn
>rd, ~TIass ., Wednesoly , June 10, 1891 (Milford, 1891 J;
"T94T 7irsF " UbngregationaI~Jhurch Milford , Mas sac hu -
Bicen^ennTal Program April 20-27 1941 (n.p., 1941J.

MILFORD, Separatist Church (see Mendon, Separate Church)

1. Parish records for the years 1780-1815 consist in
actions taken at town meetings.

384

MILLBURY, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct, 10, 1747 as the Second
Church in Sutton, the Second or North Parish having been
incorporated in 1743. In 1813, with the creation of the
town of Millbury, church and parish took the title First
Church and Parish. The Trustees of the Parochial Funds of
the Congregational Church and Parish were incorporated in
1828. The parish was dissolved in 1889, following the in-
corporation of the church the preceding year.

Ministers: James Wellman (ord. 1747; dism. 1760

d. 1808)
Ebenezer Chaplin (ord. 1763; dism. 1792

d. 1822)
Joseph Goffe (ord. 1794; dism. 1830

d. 1846)

Ruling elders :

Deacon Daniel Greenwood
Amos Singletary
Daniel Greenwood

(e. 1767; d. 1776)
(e. 1768)p
(e. 1776)*

Deacons: Thomas Gould
Abel Chase
Daniel Greenwood

Ebenezer Pierce
Asa Waters
John Jacobs
John Pierce
Elijah Waters

e. 1747; res. 1765; d. by 1769)
e. 1747; d. 1778)
e. 1765; elev. to ruling elder
1767; d. 1776)
e. 1768; res. 1787; m. 1791)

nu 1792)

m. 1792)

res. 1828)

elev. to ruling elder

e. 1778;
e. 1787;
e. 1795;
e. 1802;
1810)

The records are owned by the church and deposited with the

American Antiquarian Society, Worcester.

Not cited below, but useful is the portion of Chaplin's

diary published by Henry L. Shumway, "An Old-Time Minister

[Ebenezer Chaplin of Sutton Second Parish]," WSAC, V (1882),

44-66.

1. C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separati sm in New England.
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962), p.^l^TlistTTni;
as a Separate Congregational church.

2. Four more ruling elders were elected after 1805:
Oliver Bond in 1809, Deacon Elijah Waters in 1810, Samuel
Waters in 1815, and Jonathan Waters in 1829.

385

CR I - "Second Church, North Parish in Sutton, Mass. Inc.
Oct. 28, 1743. Historical Notes - Vital Records. 174-7- 1
1767. Scattered church records, fuller vital statistics.

CR II - "2nd Church in Sutton. Historical Notes, 1718-1857-
Vital Records, 1764-1834." Church records, 1764--1830
(lacuna, 1792-1827).

CR III - "First Congregational Church Millbury, Mass.
Records, 1830-1884-. 2nd Ch. Sutton."

PR I - "Second Church of Christ in Sutton, Mass. Records,
1743-1813. First Congregational Church in Millbury, Mass.
1828-184-5." Parish records, 174-3-184-5 (lacuna, 1813-1828).

PR II - "First Cong 1 ! Church in Millbury, Mass. Records,
1846-1888 ... 2nd Ch. Sutton."

1. At the time of his dismissal from the Sutton pulpit,
James Wellman lodged the records with one of his own adher-
ents, rather than turn them over to his successor, Ebenezer
Chaplin, whose right to the pastorate he disputed. In
1771-1772, the church made a concerted effort to recover
the records from the adherent, who finally sent them to
Wellman, by now living in New Hampshire. Wellman was still
of no mind to return the records until after Chaplin was
dismissed, and not until 1803 did the volume find its way
back to Sutton.

CR II, p. 5, claims: "Records 1760 to 1764- in small
memorandum] book." This item has not survived.

2. The lacuna, 1792-1827, results from history's having
repeated itself at the close of the second pastorate.
Ebenezer Chaplin, considering himself illegally dismissed,
took the second volume of church records with him in 1792.
The church therefore gave one of the ruling elders the task
of keeping the record of church doings. The original sec-
ond book found its way back to Sutton (now Millbury) in
1827, at which time then-minister Joseph Goffe transferred
the elder's record of vital statistics for the years 1792-
1827 into CR II. But Goffe did not think to transcribe
from the elder's record any notices of church votes, and
the elder's record book was soon afterward lost.

586

Miscellaneous records: Church. Treasurer's Accounts, 1830-
1840; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1746-1815, 1828-1898;
Parish Order Book, 1827-1859; Parish Committee Records,
1867-1887; Parish Committee Treasurer's Accounts, 1744-
1784; Records of the Trustees of the Parochial Funds, 1827-
1835.

MILLIS, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 7, 1714 as the Church in
Medway. In 1748, the town was divided into eastern and
western precincts, the former containing the 1714 (First),
church, the latter gathering its (Second) church in 1750.
In 1885, the East Precinct became the town of Millis, and
the First Church in Medway became the (First) Church in
Millis. The old parish was incorporated in 1886.

1. The present Medway church still styles itself the
Second Church in Medway.

2. Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on the Custody and Condi-
tion of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns, and Counties"
(Public Document No. 52). Public Documents of Massach usetts
a^a-t for the Year 1822 (Boston, 1898), H,~T73, reports an
extxnct unitarian church under "East Medway," dating from
1715. The basis for Swan's entry lies in a short-lived
withdrawal of Unitarians from the 1714 church about 1840;

a church was formed, but became extinct before "East Medway"
became Millis. Swan's correspondent further obscured the
situation by reporting, not the date of the ancient
church's gathering (1714), but that of the first minister's
ordination (1715).

The confusion is compounded by a recent published reuort
of an extinct East or First Church in Medway. (See Emil
Oberholzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints [New York, 1956],
P- 347.) The confusion is eliminated once this entry is
realized to belong to Millis; moreover, the records survive
almost in full, not in the fragmentary form reported by
Oberholzer. "

387

Ministers: David Deming

(ord. 1715; dism. 1722;

d. 1745/46)
Nathan Bucknam ford. 1724; d. 1795)
Benjamin Green (ord. colleague 1788; dism.

1793; d. 1837)
Luther Wright (ord. 1798; dism. 1815; d. 1858)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Peter Adams

Jonathan Adams
John Partridge
Kbenezer Thompson
Peter Baulch

Samuel Partridge
John Barber
Thomas Harding
Slisha Adams
Edward Clark, Jr.

George Barber

Asa Daniell
Asa Ellis
Simon Hill

Asa Daniell, Jr.

d. 1723)

1732; d.
by 1730)

and rem.

174-3)

ca

e. 1714:

d. 1718)

e. 1724; res.
(e. 1724; eta.
(e. 1730; res.
1732; d. 1755)
(e. 1731; d. 1752)
(e. 1732; d. 1754)

e. by 1753; d. 1754)

e. 1754; d. 1781)

e. 1754; res. by 1798;

d. 1799)

(e. 1754 (or 1756); eta.

1798)

(e. 1769; res. 1805; d. 1815)

(e. by 1785; eta. by 1798)

(e. by 1292; res. 1814;

d. 1821)^

(e. 1805; eta. 1829; d. 1340)

by

There are no records antedating 1724; the extant records
are owned and held by the church.

Not cited below, but useful is Timothy A. Dickinson, "Bio
graphical Sketch and Extracts from the Journal of Rev.
Timothy Dickinson," WSAP, VI (1883), 60-89-

CB I - "First Church of Christ, Med way, Mass. Records
1724-1793- Vol. I." 1724-1787, with vital statistics to
1793-

1. One authority lists Samuel Hill, who died in 1723, as
the second deacon of the church. See iJ. 0. Jameson, His -
tory of Medway . Mass ., 1713 - 1885 (Nillis, 1886), p. 1217

2. Jeremiah Daniel, Jr., elected a deacon in 1804, prob-
ably refused the office.

388

CR II - "The Records of the First Church in Medway from
December 1797." 1797-1816.

CR III - "Records of 1st Church in Medway from March 1816."
1816-1837-

CR IV - "Records, First Church, Medway." 1837-1876.

CR V - Church Records, 1876-1903.

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1748-1791 «

PR II - Precinct/Parish Records, 1792-1816.

PR III - Parish Records, 1808, 1816-1837-

PR IV - Parish Records, 1837-1868.

PR V - "Records of First Parish, Medway.
(lacuna, 1898-1904).

1868." 1868-1898

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1798-
1855, 1878-1887; Parish Assessors' Rate Books, 1756, 1763,
1770, 1771, 1774, 1777, 1783, 1799, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805,
1806, 1807, 1809, 1815, 1818, 1821, 1823, 1824, 1825, 1826,
1827, 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831, 1832, 1833, 1843, 1845, 1847,
1848, and three undated books; Parish Treasurer's Accounts,
1749-1791, 1793-1816, 1816-1867, 1868-1900; Parish Committee
Records, 1816-1864.

MILLVLLLE (see Blackstone).

MILTON, First Congregational Parish (U).
First (C).

The church was gathered on April 24, 1678; the First Con-
gregational Parish was incorporated in 1818. In 1834, the

589

orthodox withdrew from the church, organizing their own
First Evangelical Congregational Church and Society, the
First Congregational Parish and Church continuing under
Unitarian auspices. Both churches claim the 1678 date.

Ministers;

Peter Thacher
John Taylor
Nathaniel Robbins
Joseph McKean

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Thomas Swift
Roger Sumner
Ephraim Tucker

Lt. George Sumner
Manasseh Tucker, Sr.

Ebenezer Wadsworth
William Vose
John Wadsworth

Timothy Crehore, Jr
Nehemiah Clap
Benjamin Wadsworth

William Tucker
Nathan Tucker
Josiah Howe
Ebenezer Tucker
Cornelius Gulliver
John Crehore
David Tucker

ord. 1681; d. 1727)
ord. 1728; d. 1750)
ord. 1750/51; d. 1795)
ord. 1797; dism. 1804:
d. 1818)

ord. 1682; d. 1718)

ord. 1682; d. 1698)

e. 1698; ord. 1699;
d. 1736)

(e. and ord. 1699; d. 1715)
(e. 1716; ord. 1719;
d. 174-5)

(e. 1716: d. 1717)
(m. 1717)
(e. 1718; ord. 1719;

d. 1754)

(e. 1733; d. 1755),
(e. 1733; d. 17^3) x
(e. 17^-3 ?; m. 17^5;
d. 1771)

id. 1771)

d. 1776)

d. 1792)

,d. 1797)

m. 1797; d. 1808

m. 1797; d. 1808 )~
e. 1798; d. 1825 V

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted.

1. Nathaniel Houghton, elected a deacon in 174-3 , probably
refused the post.

2. The fragmentary nature of the records makes it impos-
sible to tell if any of the following deacons were elected
before 1806: William Vose (d. 1813), Isaac Tucker

(d. 1822), Amariah Tucker (d. 1825), John Vose (d. 1825)-

390

CR I - "Milton Records," Church records, 1681-1797, col-
lected from scattered fragments in 1798; original records,
1798-1918 •

CR I PHOTOSTAT I - "Milton Church Records, 1681-1754."
Photostat of portions of CR I. Owned and held by the local
library.

CR I PHOTOSTAT II - "Milton Church Records, 1681-1918."
Photostat of portions of CR I. Owned and held by the local
library.

CR I PUB - William B. Trask (ed.)» "Milton (Mass.) Church
Records. - 1678 - 1754," NEHGR, XXII (1868), 259-267, 440-
444, XXIII (1869), 13-20, 254-261, 445-4-50, XXIV (1870),
43-4-9. Some details omitted.

PR I - "Records."
1886-1917 .

"First Congregational Parish in Milton. "

Miscellaneous records: Parish Committee Records, 1889-1910.

See also the manuscript diaries of the Rev. Mr. Peter
Thacher, for the years 1678/79-1681/82 and 1681/8-2-1698/99,
with photostat, microfilm and typescript copies of the same,
owned and held by the Massachusetts Historical Society,
Boston, and cited in this paper as Barnstable West, Thacher
Diaries I & II. Some portions have been published by
A. K. Teale (ed.), The History of Milton / Mass . 1640 to
1887 (Boston, 1887), pp. 641-6577 and by Edward PTTIamlTton,
"The Diary of a Colonial Clergyman, Peter Thacher of Milton,"
MHSP, LXXI (1955-1957), 50-65. Another volume of Thacher' s
diary provided the vital statistics for Edward D. Harris'
communication, "Rev. Peter Thacher 1 s Record of Marriages at
Milton," NEHGR , XXXVI (1882), 19-20, 505-504, XXXVIII (1884),
26-29; the location of the original of this volume is un-
known.

MONATIQUOT (see Braintree, First).

391

MONSON (C).

The church was gathered on June 23, 1762; the First Parish
was organized in 1830.

Ministers:

Abishai Sabin
Jesse Ives

Cord. 1762; dism. 1771; d. 1782)
(inst. 1773; d. 1805)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Colton
Joseph Craft
Benjamin Munn, Sr.
Abijah Newell
Abel Goodell

(e. 1763; res. 1766; d. 1786)

(e. 1763; d. 1777)

(e. 1767; d. 1822)..

(e. 1773; d. 180? r

(e. 1773; d. 1809)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "The Old Church Records of the Congregational Church,
Monson, Mass, 1762-1774." Photostat; original in envelope
at the rear of the volume.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1774-1789.

CR III - "Church Records." 1789-1843.

CR IV - "Record of the Congregational Church in tjonson,
Vol. 2, Commencing in August, 184-3." 1843-1858.

CR V - "Church Records, Monson, 1857." 1857-1871.

CR VI - "This Book is to be Kept for the Records of the
Church." 1871-1900.

PR I - "Records, First Parish, Monson." (Flyleaf: "Rec-
ords of the First Parish in Monson, Commencing Aoril 1830."
1830-1886.

PR II - Parish Records, 1886-1947.

1. Sometimes given as "Newhall."

2. At the time CR III was begun, CR I was believed lost;
hence, CR IV is described as "Vol. 2."

592

MONTAGUE, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 22, 1752 ac the Church in
the Second (North) Precinct of Sunderland, the precinct
having been set off in 1751- I& 1754, the precinct became
the town of Montague, and the church's name v/as accordingly
changed. The First Congregational Society was organized in
1826; in 1910 cnurch and society were incorporated as one
body.

Minister: Judah Nash (ord. 1752; d. 1S05)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the absence of early
church records, almost nothing is known of the lay officers
of this church. A Deacon Mattoon, probably of Sunderland,
assumed a leading role in the formation of the Montague
church in 1751-1752, but it is not known if he became a
member and officer here.

There are no records antedating 1807; the extant records
are owned by the church and deposited with a Greenfield
bank.

CR I - "Church Records of the 1st Congregational Church In
Montague . " 1807-1873 -

CR II - Church Records, 1874-1910.

PR I - "Book of Records for the first Congregational Society
in Montague - No. 1st - 1826." 1826-1853.

PR II - "Book of Records for the first Congregational
Society in Montague April 1854- . " 1854-1910.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1899-
1920; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1832-1899-

See Confession and Faith and Covenant of the First Congre -
gational Church in Montage , Mass . (Greenfield, 1871; rep.
I905) ; " ?he First~Son~re~ational Church of Hont aroze Massa -
chusetts . July 29, 1751 Jul~ 29, 195l" Tn.p,, 195lX

1. Sunderland itself was for many years known as "Swamp-
field."

393

MONTEREY (C).

The churcn was gathered on Sept. 25, 1750 as the Church in
Tyringham, although the town of Tyringham was not incorpo-
rated until 1762. The First Congregational Society in
Tyringham was incorporated in 1809. In 1847, part of
Tyringham was set off as the town of Monterey, and tne 1750
church and its society became tne First in tne new tov/n.

Ministers:

Adonijah Bi dwell
Joseph Avery

(inst. 1750;
(inst. 17^9;
c. 1314)

d. 1784)
dism. 1808;

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Jonn Jackson
Thomas Orton
William Kale
David Talcott
Nathan Abbot
Justus Battle
Joseph Chapin

(e. 1753; d. 1757)

(e. 1753; d. 1790)

(e. 1764; d. 1807)

(m. 1783)

(e. 1790-1802; rem. 1804; d. 1809)

(e- 1802; rem. 1825)

(e. 1804; d. le»38)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Record." Fragmentary records, 1750-1842,
the earlier parts copied from documents no longer extant.

CR I COPY - Roll in H. Cooke, "Monterey, Mass. Records of
trie Rev. Mr. Bidwell." Largely vital statistics, duplicat-
ing CR I in part, 1750-1777, but copied (1902) from Bid-
well's "home book" rather tnan CR I. Owned and held by
the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection;, Pittsfield.

CR II - KISSING, Churcn Records, 1842-1854,

CR III - "Record of the Congregational Church of Monterey.
December 26th, 1854." 1854-1907-

1. Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on tne Custody and Condi-
tion of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns, and Coun-
ties" (Public Document No. 52), Public Documents of
Massachusetts . . . for the Year 1897 ~(Boston, 1898), II,
185, lists the church as an extinct Tyringham church, and
92, as a living Monterey church. Both, of course, refer
to the same church.

394

Miscellaneous records: Church Register, befrun 1861 of
baptisms and admissions, 1750-1957/1960.

See History of the First Congregational Society in Mon-
terey, Mass., with Brief History of the Town and~Account

of the Anniversary Exercises Octpper 'TD ana r ~lT7~l^r

(Great Barrlngton, Mass., 136UJT

MONTGOMERY (C), extinct.

? he iS^)J rch was gathered on Jan. 30, 1797, and dissolved
in 1868.

Minister: Seth Noble (ord. 1801; dism. 1806; d. 1807)

Ruling elders and deacons: no records of the church hav-
ing survived, nothing is known of tue lay officers of this
organization.

See the work published anonymously by Kmerson Davis,
Sketches of the Churches and Pastors in Hamde n County
Mass.; and~also, An Address Delivered To the Pastors? by
SSI* £-J!£j22gSL* £•$• at Kettineapue . SepcembeFT3,
m3 TWestfTFIoTl85^7; Eewis B. Allyn, Ancient L aSaWtts
oi_ ^ontRoaery . Massachusetts (Wastfield, 1920)." "

MURRAYFIELD, Church (see Chester).

MYRIFIELD, Church (see Rowe).

595

NANTUCKET, Occawan (and other) Indian Churches (C), extinct.

The sources do not clearly distinguish the several Nantucket
Indian churches from each other, nor carefully discriminate
among "churches," "assemblies," "meetinghouses," and "pray-
ing towns." It is therefore necessary to treat the island
native churches in a single entry.

Tradition assigns the organization of the first Indian
church to Hiacoomes, the Vineyard Indian preacher, dating
the event ca. 1665-1670. By 167 z *-» 1 there were three praying
towns and the one church: Occawan (where the church met),
Wammasquid and Squatesit. Indian preacher John Gibbs
(Aseasammoogh) ministered primarily at Occawan; the other
praying towns were served by Indian preachers Joseph,
Samuel and Caleb.

By 1694, Nantucket had five native "assemblies" and three
churches (one of them Baptist). A report of 1698 adds the
names of the Indian preachers then active: Job Muckemuck
(successor to the deceased John Gibbs at Occawan), John
Asherman, Quequenah, Netowah, Peter Hayt, Wunnohson, Daniel
Spotso, Codpoganut and Noah.

Between 1710 and 1718, the native preacher at Occawan was
Jonahauwasuit ; others associated with this church were
Jonas Asosit (Hasaway) ca. 1718 and Benjamin Tarshema ca.
1770. There is reason £0 believe that Tarshema may have
been preceded by Zacchary Hoite. Another (unidentified)
Nantucket Indian church was served ca. 1763-1792 by the
father and son, James and Joshua Memack. By 1800, the
Tndi an churches of Nantucket were extinct. ^^

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under BOURNE,
Herring Pond(s) Indian Church. See also Obed Macy, The
History of Nantucket ; Being a Compendious Account of the
First Settlement of the Island by the English , together
with the Rise andTrogress of"the Whale Fishery~and Other
Historical Facts Relative to Said Island and Its Inhabi -
tants : In Two Part's (Boston, 1835); Robert A. Douglas-
Lithgow. " Nantucket : A History (New York and London, 1914).

Ministers: prior to the gathering of an Indian church on
Nantucket, the natives were ministered to by Thomas Mayhew,
Sr., ca. 1665-<1. 1681, and John Cotton, Jr., ca. 1665-1667.
Both were primarily associated with the Vineyard Indian
mission, however.

1. Variously given as "Oggawame" and "Okorwaw. "

396

Peter Folger
John Mayhew

Experience Mayhew

Samuel Wiswall

Timothy White

Zachariah Mayhew

(schoolmaster to Vineyard
Indians 1654; rem. to Nan-
tucket 1663; d. 1690)
(sett. West Tisbury 1673;
associated with six Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1688/89)

(Indian mission of the Vine-
yard 1694-d. 1758; associated
with nine Indian praying towns
and churches)

(missionary to Vineyard Indians
1710-1712; ord. Edgartown 1713;
continued missionary labors;
d. 1746)

(unord. , sett. Nantucket 1725
as 3.P.G.F.P. superintendent
of religious work among the
Indians, preacher to the Eng-
lish church; rem. 1750;
d. 1765)

(ord. Chilmark 1767, associated
with six Indian praying towns
and churches; d. 1806)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

NANTUCKET, First (C).

The date of the church's gathering is uncertain, although
the limited evidence points to the years 1725-1728. In
1725, Timothy White (who had come as S.P.G.F.P. superin-
tendent of religious work among the Indians) was settled
as preacher to the English congregation, a post he held

1. There is no documentation for the frequently cited
claim, first made in The Confession of Faith and Covenant ,
of the First ConRre Rational Church , in Nantucket (Boston,
I55077 that the church was fully organized in 1711 f when
the first meetinghouse was erected.

397

until his removal in 1750. Unordained, White depended on
the occasional visits of clerics like Rev. Joseph Baxter
of Medfield to provide administration of the sacraments.
The church reorganized in 1767, at the coming of Rev.
Bezaleel Shaw.

The Proprietors of the Meeting House were incorporated in
1811; the church was incorporated in 1895-

Ministers:

Timothy White (unord. , sett. Nantucket 1725-

1750 as S.P.G.F.P. superintend-
ent of religious work among the
Indians, preacher to the English
church; rem. 1750; d. 1765)

Joseph Mayhew (sett. 1761 as acting minister,

?robably not ord. ; d. 1766)
ord. 1767; d. 1796)
James Gurney (ord. 1799; dism. 1819; d. 1839)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: fragmentary list, due to the lack of church
records.

John Woodbury (d. 1799)

Samuel Barrett (seceded 1799)

Josiah Coffin (e. 1801; d. 1811)

Capt. Wilson Rawson (e. 1802; d # 1836;

The records are owned by the church and deposited with a
local bank.

VS I - Baptisms, 1728-174-9- Twelve MS pages, among mis-
cellaneous papers in unmarked envelope.

CR II - Church Records, comprising a copy of part of VS I,
fragmentary records, 1767-1796, full records, 1799-1828.

CR III - Church Records, 1835-1842.

CR IV - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Nantucket, 1841." 1841-1891-

VS IV - "Baptisms." Baptisms and admissions, 1847-1868.

CR V - "First Cong'l Church, Nantucket, Mass., 1892."
1892-1927-

398

Miscellaneous records: "A Record of the Secular transac-
tions of the First Congl Church. Nantucet. Aug. 1822,"
noting both ecclesiastical and prudential matters ca. 1822;
"Records of the Examining Committee," noting two hundred
and thirty-seven examinations and relations of candidates
for church membership, 184-1-184-7; Society Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1841-1909.

See Myron s. Dudley, Churches and Pastors of Nantucket ,
Mass . , From the First Settlement to the ?resenF"Time :
16 59 - 1^02 C Boston, 1902 J. being an expanded vers!on~of "Two
Centuries of Churches and Pastors in Nantucket, Mass.."
NEHGR, LVI (1902), 17-26.

NARRAGANSETT NO. 2, Church (see Westminster).

NARRAGANSETT NO. 6, Church (see Templeton).

NASHUAKEMMUCK Indian Church (see Chilmark, Nashuakemmuck
Indian Church).

399

NATICK, First Indian Church (C), extinct.

At John Eliot's request, in 1651 the General Court granted
a large area in Natick to the Nonantum Indians. The Indians
were encouraged to set up a civil government with their own
officials, and in 1660 a church was gathered among them.
This church was dissolved soon after 1698.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under BOURNE,
Herring Pond(s; Indian Church.

Ministers: John Eliot

John Eliot, Jr.

James Speen

Anthony

Daniel Gookin, Jr.

Daniel Tokkohwompait
John Neesnummin
Daniel Baker

John Thomas

Oliver Peabody

(ord. Roxbury 1632, asso-
ciated with sixteen Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1690)

(Indian mission, 1657-
1663; ord. Newton 1664;
d. 1668)

(Indian preacher, 1669-
1675)
(Indian preacher, 1669-

1675)

(ord. Sherborn 1685,
preached at Natick;
d. 1718)

(Indian preacher, 1690-
1700)

(Indian preacher, 1709-
1719)

(ord. Sherborn 1712,
preached at Natick;
d. 173D

(Indian preacher, also
associated with Littleton
[Nashobah], 1714-172?)
(sett. 1721; ord. at Cam-
bridge 1729; sett. English
and Indian Church 1729;
d. 1752)

1. Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Company of 1649 and
its Missionary Enterprises," CSMP . XXXVIII (194-7-1951), 179,
holds that the church was furnished with a full complement
of clergy and lay officers. In disagreement is Charles E.
Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County ,
Massachusetts (Boston. 1911). I. p/245. claiming that only
the Vineyard Indian churches had lay officers.

*00

As is the case with aii of the Indian churches except
Natick' s English and Indian church, no records of this
church are known to exist or even to have been kept.

NATICK, English and Indian Church (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Dec. 3» 1729 with an eye to
accomodating the English now living in Natick, and in
place of the extinct Indian church of 1660. The English
and Indian church was extinct by 180?. 2
See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under
BOURiiE, Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers :

Oliver Peabody (sett. 1721; ord. at Cam

bridge 172^; sett, here
1729; d. 1752)

Stephen Badger (ord. 1753; eta. 1803; d

1808)

Ruling elders: none,

Deacons: Joseph Ephraim
Ebenezer Felch
Nathan Chickering
Micah Whitney
Jones

e. 1730; d. 1761)

e. 1731; m. 17*7)

(e. 1735; m. 17*4)

m. 1759-1765)

m. 177*)

1. Peabody reported in 1721: "It must be observed that,
after my most diligent Inquiry and Search; I Can Find No
Record of Any thing referring to the former church at
Natick; Nor who were Members of it: or baptized, till my
coming to the Town." NATICK, English and Indian Church,
CR I, p. 1.

2. From a letter of Stephen Badger, historians have errone-
ously concluded that Peabody 1 s church dissolved after his
death, to be replaced by a second English and Indian church
shortly before Badger's ordination. A careful reading of
the letter ( MHSC , V [1798], 32-*5) does not sustain such a
conclusion; Badger 1 s statement that "immediately previous
to my settling in this place, a church was gathered," must
be read consistently with his reference to Peabody as "my
immediate predecessor" (pp. *3» **). For erroneous readings,
see William Bigelow, History of the Town of Natick , Mass .
from the Diys of the Apostolic Eliot , MDCL , to zhe Present
Time , MDCCCX/CT TBoston, 1830); Samuel Sewall, "A Brief Survey
of the Congregational Churches and Ministers of the County of
Middlesex...," Am eric in Quarterly Register , XI (1838-1839) »
2*6, 255-257; Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and the

401

The records are owned and held by Natick' s Congregational
Church, unless otherwise noted.

OR I - "Records of the Church of Natick, and other thing's
Refering to the State of Religion there Since I have been
Imployed in the work of the ministry Among the Indians,
Faithfully made by me Oliver Peabody Pastor of the Church
of Natick." Church records, 1721/1729-174-5, 1794; vital
statistics: baptisms, 1721/1729-1798; admissions, 1729-
1798; deaths of Indian members, 1721/1729-1771; owners of
the covenant, scattered entries.

CR I COPY - "The Peabody and Badger Records, Transcribed
from the Original, 1858." Owned and held by the New Eng-
land Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.!

NATICK (C).

The church was gathered in February of 1802, but no minister
was settled until 1806. The Trustees of the Natick Minis-
terial Fund were incorporated in 1812, and the First Parish
in 1820.

Ministers: none until 1806.
Ruling elders; none.

Deacons: Abel Perry

William Goodenow

(e. 1802; res. 1822; d. 1841)
(e. 1802; res. 1828; d. 1837)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Records 1802-1833." (Flyleaf: "Records
of the Church of Christ, in Natick. Freeman Sears. -
Pastor of said Church. April 22?. AD 1807. to 1833.")

Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass., 1936),
p. 260; idem , "The New England Company of 1649 and its
Missionary Enterprises," CSMP, XXXVIII (1947-1951), 179.

1. Another copy is reported to be owned and held by the
South Natick Historical Society, Natick.

402

CR II - "Third Book of the Records of the First Congrega-
tional Church of Christ Natick Mass. 1833-1864."

CR III - "Church Records 1864-1901." (Flyleaf: "Fourth
Book of the Records of the First Congregational Church of
Christ Natick Mass. 1864-1901.")

VS - "Chronological List of Members since 1802." 1802-1920.

PR I - "Records of the first Congregational Parish in
Natick AD 1820." 1820-1853-

PR II - "Parish Treasurer 1852-1890." (Flyleaf: "Con-
tinuation of the Records of the First Congregational Parish
in Natick AD 1852.")

PR II DUP - "Church Records by William Drury 1856 to 1868."
Sketchy parish records and some parish financial accounts.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1867-
1906; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1822-1862, 1862-1891,
1890-1891, 1893-1906; Records of the Trustees of the Minis-
terial Fund, 1814-1914; Accounts of the Trustees of the
Ministerial Fund, 1812*1914.

NAUSET (see Eastham and Orleans).

NEEDHAM, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on March 20, 1720. The First or
East Parish in Need ham was incorporated in 1778.

1. Called the "Third Book," because the recording clerk
counted the Peabody-Badger records of Natick 's Indian and
English Church as the first volume.

403

Ministers :

Jonathan Townsend
Samuel West, D.D.

Stephen Palmer

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Jeremiah Woodcock

Timothy Kingsbury

Eleazar Kingsbury

Josiah Newell, Jr.

Joshua Ellis

John Fisher

Isaac Shepard

Gol. William Mcintosh

Lt. Col. Silas Alden

ford. 1720; a. 1762)

(ord. 1764; dism. 1789;
d. 1808)

(ord. 1792; d. 1821)

(e. 1720.; res. 1729/30;

d. 1752) x

(e. 1720; deposed 1746/47;

d. 1760)

(e. 1729/30; deposed

1747/47; d. 1767)

(e. 1746/47; res. 1783;

d. 1792)

(e. 1746/47; rem. 1759;

d. ca. 1780)

(e. "1746/47; d. 1788)

(e. 1783; d. 1819)

(e. 1790; res. 1803;

d. 1813)

(e. 1803; d. 1826)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at a
local bank.

OR I - "The Records of the Church of Christ in Needham -
Kept by Jonathan Townsend for his own Service, Use, &
Satisfaction. 1720. " 1720-1812.

VS BIRTH - George K. Clarke, "Births Recorded by the Rev.
Jonathan Townsend. A.M., Minister of the First Church in
Needham, 1749-1762," NEHGR, LVI (1902), 141-149-

VS BAP - George K. Clarke, "Baptisms Recorded by the Min-
isters of the First Church in Needham, 1720-1821," NEHGR ,
LVII (1903), 21-30, 144-153, 252-263, 370-382.

VS MAR - George K. Clarke, "Marriages Recorded by the Min-
isters of the First Church in Needham, Massachusetts.
1738-1811," NEHGR . LV (1901), 258-267, 391-400.

VS MORT - George K. Clarke, "Deaths Recorded by the Rev.
Jonathan Townsend, A.M. , Minister of the First Church in
Needham, 1749-1762," NEHGR , LVI (1902), 265-270.

1. See George K. Clarke, "The Deacons of the First Church
in Needham," DHR, III (1892), 73-76.

404

CR II - "Records of the First Church in Needham, March 1720
to November 1911 by Jonathan Townsend." Poorly edited copy
of CR I, with further records to 1911.

PR I - "Needham First Parish Records, from 1778 to 1809.
Book No. 1."

PR II - "Needham First Parish Records, from 1809 to 1840.
Book No. 2."

PR III - "Needham First Parish Records, from 1840 to 1859.
Book No. 3."

PR PUB - George K. Clarke, "Notes from the Records of the
First Parish in Needham," MR, III (1892), 35-37, 125-129,
IV (1893), 27-31, 122-125. Items excerpted from parish
records, 1778-1842.

PR IV - "Needham First Parish Records, from 1859 to 1889.
Book No. 4."

PR V - "Book V. Needham First Parish Records." 1889-1899-

PR VI - "Needham First Parish Records." 1899-1915.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books, 1803,
1805, 1806, 1820; Parish Collector's Accounts, 1889-1896.

NEEDHAM, East Parish (see Needham, First).

NEEDHAM, Vest Precinct, Parish and Church (see Wellesley)

405

NEMASKET Indian Church (see Lakeville, Nemasket Indian
Church).

NEW BEDFORD, First Unitarian Church (U).

First Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered in 1708, as the Church of Christ
in Dartmouth. Its garish, the Second in Dartmouth, was in-
corporated in 1747. In 1787, the Second Parish (sometimes
called "Precinct") was made the town of New Bedford, and
the church's title was accordingly changed.
In 1795, the parish voted to erect a new meetinghouse at
New Bedford Village, leaving standing the older meetinghouse
at "the Head of the River" (Acushnet). Rev. Samuel West
was instructed to divide his time between the constituencies
of the two meetinghouses. In 1803, West resigned his post,
and no settled ministry was had at the Acushnet meetinghouse

from that time until 1828-1829.

Meanwhile, Bedford Precinct was incorporated in 1808, em-
bracing the Village and immediate environs. When (in 1810)
the orthodox majority of the church withdrew to reorganize
and form their own self-sustaining North Congregational
Society, the Unitarian party, being a majority of the par-
ish, retained control of the Village meetinghouse, settling
a new minister in 1812. The Unitarians 1 First Congrega-
tional Society was incorporated in 1824.

In 1828-1829, the remnant of the church living at Acushnet
(some four survivors of West's church) reorganized. Today,
as the First Congregational Church, this body also lays

1. William J. Potter, The First Congregational Society in
New Bedford , Massachusetts : Its History as Illustrative of
Ecclesiastical Revolution (New Bedford, 1559) , p. 18, re-
ports second-hand knowledge of manuscript evidence among
the Stiles Papers at Yale University, that the church was
not "organized" until 1716.

2, The Indian Congregational Church in Dartmouth's First
Precinct became extinct ca. 1750; no other Congregational
Church was organized in present-day Dartmouth until 1807.

406

claim to the 1708 date, arguing that the voting of a
meetinghouse at the Village in 1795 was effectually an act
of secession from the ancient parish.

Ministers: Samuel Hunt

Richard Pierce
Israel Cheever

Samuel West, D.D

(appointed minister to Dart
mouth by the General Court
1708; d. 1728/29)
(sett. 1753; d. 1749)
(ord. 1753; dism. 1759;
d. 1811)

(ord. 1761; res. 1803;
d. 1807)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of early rec-
ords, the only lay officers known are Deacons John Chaffee
and Jireh Swift, mentioned 1794-1795 in FATRHAVEN, CR I.

The records antedating the nineteenth century have long
been lost; the extant records are owned and held by the
two surviving churches, and are separately listed here.

Records owned and held by the First Unitarian Church.

CR I - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Book of Records of
the Third Church retaining their Connection with the Third
Congregational Society in New Bedford or Bedford Precinct.")
1811-1900. '

SR I - "Records of the 1st Cong. Society. Book II. From
1838 to 1884. " 5

1. The Congregational claim is urged by S. C. Bushnell in
the anonymously published Celebration of the 250th Anniver-

Lun<

TheTTi

cit., who also disposes of the date favored" by thV Congre-
gational body (16%) as a local tradition of doubtful
reliability.

2. Potter, o£. cit., passim . In treating West's pastor-
ate, Potter hints at the survival of fragmentary church
records for that period, but the present location of these
records, if still extant, is unknown.

3. The Society Treasurer's Accounts for 1838-1867 is
listed as "Book I" of Society Records.

407

SR II - "Records of the 1st Congl. Society
1885." 1885-1902.

Book III From

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts (Pew
Assessments and Conveyances), 1858-1867; Proprietors 1 Com-
mittee Records, 1853-1839; Proprietors Register, 1838;
Subscribers Register, 1836; Pew Deeds, 1839-1874, 1872-1878

Records owned and held by the First Congregational Church,

CR I - "No 1
1828-1831.

Records 1st Congl. Church New Bedford."

CR II - "No 2 Records," (Flyleaf: "Records of the 1st
Congregational Church of New Bedford Mass first organized
in the township of Dartmouth 1696 and Reorganized in New
Bedford March 23- 1828.") 1828-1879.

CR III - "Records of the 1st Congregational Church of New
Bedford Mass. from Oct. 1st 1870 and The commencement of
the pastorate of Rev. Wm. B. Hammond." 1870-1890.

CR IV - "Records of First Congregational Church, New Bed-
ford, Mass. From March 23d., 1828 to July 2d., 1890.
(Condensed from the Original Records.) Full Records from
July 2d., 1890, to Jan. 4, 1920."

SR I - "Records for the Congregational Society at the Head
of Accushnett River = New Bedford ■ Masstts." 1829-1914-.

Miscellaneous records: Precinct Treasurer's Accounts,
1785-18 5V1883; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1872-1909.

NEW BEDFORD, Second Church (see Fairhaven).

4-08

NEW BRAINTREE (C).

The church was gathered on April 18, 1754, and the New
Braintree Congregational Parish was organized in 184-3.

Ministers: Benjamin Ruggles (inst. 1754; d. 1782)
Daniel Foster (ord. 1778; d. 1795)
John Fiske, D.D. (ord. 1796; d. 1855)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of early rec-
ords, nothing is known of the lay officers of this church.

With the exception of the book then in use, the church and
parish records were destroyed by fire in 1911.

CR I - "Records of the Congregational Church of New Brain-
tree Commencing with the ministry of the Revd. John H.
Gurney." 1856-1947.

See A Manual of The Con^re Rational Church in New Braintree ,
Massachusetts 1$U7 (North Brookfield, 19077.

NEWBURY, First (C). 1

The church was gathered in 1635, possibly on May 6, at the
ordination of the pastor and teacher. The First Precinct

1« The correct identification of the seven churches in
this complex requires a brief sketch of the area.
The town of Newbury was founded in 1635; its First Church
was gathered the same year. A Second Church was gathered
in 1698, a Third in 1726, a Fourth in 1731, and a Fifth in
1762.

In 1764, Newburyport was set off as an independent town.
The Third Church (1726) in Newbury became Newburyport First;
the Fifth Church (1762) in Newbury became Newburyport Second
Two more churches were added in Newburyport prior to 1805:
Newburyport Third (1768) and Newburyport Fourth (1793).
In 1820, another section of Newbury was made the town of
West Newbury. The Second Church (1698) in Newbury became
West Newbury First; the Fourth Church (1731) in Newbury
became West Newbury Second.

After 1820, the only Congregational church in Newbury ante-
dating 1805 was the ancient First Church of 1635.

I 409

was incorporated in 1711 » and the

First Parish in 1725-

The Proprietors of the Meeting House were organized in 1868.

Ministers: James Noyes

(ord. teacher 1635 i

d. 1656)

Thomas Parker

(ord. pastor 1635;

d. 1677)

John Woodbridge

(sett. 1663; res.

1673; d. 1695)

John Richardson

(sett. 1673; ord.

teacher 1675; d. 1696)

Christopher Toppan, D

.D. (ord. 1696; d. 174-7)

John Tucker, D.D.

Cord. 174-5; d. 1792)

Abraham Moore

(ord. 1796; d. 1801)

John S. Popkin, D.D.

(inst. 1804; dism.

1815; cL. 1852)

Ruling elders: none after 1683*

Deacons: due to the lack of early records, nothing is

known of the lay officers of this

church prior to 1683.

The following list of deacons has

been compiled from sec-

ondary sources written before the

disappearance of the

later records.

Richard Knight

(d. 1683)

Nicholas Noyes

Ce. 1684; d. 1701)
Ce. 1684; d. 1690)

Robert Long

Tristram Coffin

Ce. 1684; d. 1704)

William Noyes

(e. by 1693; ©• deacon of

Newburyport First 1726;
m. 1731)

Abiel Somerby

(e. deacon Newburyport

First 1726; m. 1731)

Cutting Noyes

(d. 1734)

Nathaniel Coffin

Ce. by 1709; d. 1748)
Ce. 1725; d. 1779)

Stephen Jaques, Jr.

Joshua Moody

(e. 1725; d. by 1745)
Ce. 1730; d. 1766)

Samuel Moody

James Noyes

Ce. 1730; d. 1745)

Daniel Knight

Ce. 1747; d. 1768)

Joseph Morse

(e. 1747; d. 1773)

Daniel Hale

Ce. 1766; d. 1799)

Silas Pearson

Ce. 1769; d. 1804)

Nathaniel Little, Jr.

Ce. 1804; d. 1835)

Ezra Hale

(e. 1804; d. 1846)

410

The church records antedating 1674- were reported lost in
the Essex North Association's Contributions to the Ecclesi -
astical History of Essex County (.Boston. 18657 » pp. 340-345.
The manual publisEed at Newbury in 1896 under the title
Covenant, Articles of Faith and Rules of the First Church
in Newbury , with a Catalogue of Its MemEers and an Account
o? Its Pastors , reported the records from 1674 then in
existence. Today, however, no records can be found ante-
dating 1943, other than vital statistics extracted from
histories and manuals of the church.

In addition to the secondary sources just noted, see the
Joshua Coffin MS Book owned and held by the Congregational
Library, Boston (data on Newbury councils of 1669-1670);
John S. Popkin, A Sermon , Preached May 4, 1806 , The Last
Time of Assembling in the Old Meeting-House , in the First
Parish of Newbury (ITewburyport , 1806 j; Caleb Pushing, The
History and Present State of the Town of Newburyport (New-
buryport, 1826); Names of tEe Living rfembers of the First

Church in Newbury , OctoberTTg^K To Vhich 'lF ^Prefixed a
Chronological Account of Its~Pa"stor3 (Newburyport , 1834) ;
Joshua Coffin, A Sketch of thF TTistorv of Newbury , Newbury -
port , and Vest Hewbury , 7romT635 to 185 5 (.Boston, 1845 J;
George~TJ7 Wildes, An Oration Before the Historical and
Antiquarian Society of Newbury , Es"sex County , Massachusetts ,
September ll^n , 18 c§ * Commemorative of the Settlement of
Newbury , a715T" ":L635 CNew York, 1878; Celebration of the Two
Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Settlement of New -
bury , June 10, 1883 "(Newburyport,"T885J; John J. Currier,
gIsTory~ "o7 ITewbury , Mass , : 1633 - 1902 (Boston, 1902); Eliza
A. Little and Lucre tia L. Ilsley (eds.), The First Parish ,
Newbury , Massachusetts , 1635 -193 3 (Newburyport, 1935.); The
Heritage of the First Churcn in Newbury , Gathered in 1635 .
Newbury ," flassachusetts (.Newburyport , 1960X The 15^4 Names
contains the pre-1805 data included in the manual entitled
Covenant , Articles of Faith and Rules of the First Church
in Newbury and published at Newburyport in 1859, again at
ITewbury in 1896, and still again at Newburyport in 1897*

NEWBURY, Fifth Church and Parish (see Newburyport, Fifth
Church of Newbury )•

411

NEWBURY, Fourth Church and Parish (see West Newbury, Second)

NEWBURY. Fourth Parish (see Newburyport, Fifth Church of
Newbury;*

NEWBURY, Second Precinct, Parish and Church (see West
Newbury, First).

NEWBURY, Third Church and Parish (see Newburyport, First).

NEWBURY, Third Church and Parish (see West Newbury, Second)

NEWBURY, Westerly Part of First Parish (see Newburyport,
Fifth Church of Newbury).

412

NEWBURY FALLS Parish (see Byfield)

NEWBURYPORT, First Religious Society (U).

The church was gathered on Jan, 12, 1726 as the Third
Church in Newbury. When Newburyport became a town (1764),
the church took the title of First Church of Newburyport.
Its First Religious Society received incorporation in 1794.
During the first pastorate, New Light members withdrew to
form the First Presbyterian Church in Newburyport. A
similar secession in 1768 saw the formation of the Third
Church in Newburyport.

Ministers:

John Lowell (ord. 1726; d. 1767)
Thomas Cary (ord. 1768; d. 1808)
John Andrews (ord. colleague 1788; dism. 1830;

d. 1845)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon William Noyes
Deacon Abiel Somerby

Beck

Edward Emerson
Daniel Coffin
Abiel Somerby, Jr.
Thomas Moody
John Kent, Jr.

(e. 1726; m. 1731)o

(e. 1726; m. 173D

(m. 1737-1741)

e. 1728; m. 1741)

e. 1737; m. 1783)

e. 1737; m. 1744)

e. 1748; d. by 1797)

e. 1748; m. 1777)

1. Mention should be made of a file of MS papers and pub-
lished pamphlets, owned and held by the Congregational
Library, Boston, relating to the New Light separation. The
file is somewhat misleadingly catalogued "Newbury, Mass.
FIRST CHURCH THIRD CHURCH Papers relating to separation
of members from, and organization of a new church 1743-46.
mss."

C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England . 1740 -
1800 (New Haven and London, 1962), pp."T0S^T01, 316, notes
that the separation began in 1742.

2. Noyes and Somerby had previously been deacons of New-
bury's First Church.

415

Nathaniel Newman
William Farnum
Benjamin Abbot

1783; n. 1799)

1804)

1804; rem. 1817)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at a
local bank, unless otherwise noted,

CR I - "Church Records compiled by Rev. John Lowell Vol-
ume I." (Flyleaf: "Records belonging to the third Church
of Christ in Newbury Transcribed from Books and Papers,
collected, examin'd and compared, by John Lowell Pastor
AD 1737 & continued.") 1725-1768, with some vital statis-
tics to 1816.

CR II - "Church Records compiled by Rev. Thomas Cary Rev.
John Andrews. Volume II. 1763-1831." (Back flyleaf:
"Records belonging [to] the First Church in Newburyport.
Vol 2d Continued from a former Vol. By John Lowell, Pastor,
Continued by Thomas Gary the Second Pastor. Continued by
John Andrews The Third Pastor. Continued in a 3d Volume
by Thos. B. Fox - Fourth Pastor.")

VS I - "Newbury Church Records," EIHC . LIZ (1923), 85-89-
Admissions and dismissions, 1726-1816.

CR III - "Church Records compiled by Rev. Thomas Fox.
Volume 3. 1831-1889." (Flyleaf: "Records &c of the First
Church in Newburyport. Vol. III. Commenced Aug. 3d. ltt$±.
by Thomas B. Fox. Fourth Pastor of Said Church. ;

PR I - "Records of the Parish 1725-1767 Book 1." (Fly-
leaf: "The Book Belongs to the Third Parish in Newbury. )

PR II - "Records of the Parish 1768-1818 Book 2."

SR III - "First Religious Society Records April 22d 1819
to Feby 25th 1850 Book 3." (Flyleaf: "Records of the
First Religious Society. 1819.";

SR IV - "First Society Records Reports of Parish Meetings
1850-1925 Book 5."

PROP I - "Records of the Parish [sic] 1794- to 1843 Book
2A." (Flyleaf: "Book of Records of the Proprietors of the
House of Public Worship of the first Religious Society in
Newburyport . " ) ^_^^__

1. It is not certain if the Deacon Parker Noyes who died
in 1787 was an officer of this church.

414

PROP II - "First Religious [Society ?] Reports of Parish
[sic] Meetings 1844-1850." Proprietors records.

Miscellaneous records: "Hartshrone, Thomas. Memorandum
Book, 1792-1811, while a deacon of the 1st Church," owned
and held by the Essex Institute, Salem; Church Treasurer's
Accounts, 1804-1865, owned and held by the Essex Institute:
Society Assessors' Rate Books (twenty-six volumes ) % 1797-
1801, 1802, 1805, 1813, 1816-1817 and 1845-1849, 1817, 1818,
1820, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1824, 1825-1826, 1827-1829, 1830,
1832, 1833-1834, 1835, 1836, 1839-1844, 1840-1845; 1841-

^Ki£ 41 " 1859 ' 1869 ' 187 °5 Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1820-1880, 1880-1899, 1899-1916; Proprietors Treasurer's
Accounts, 1741-1819; Pew Deeds, 1801-1831, 1834-1870: Pew
Rental Accounts, 1886-189?.

NEWBURYPORT, Separate (C), extinct.

The church had its origins in New Light secessions from
Newbury's First Church and Third (Newburyport First) Church,
the withdrawals commencing in 1742. The secessionists
heard the preaching of Joseph Adams for about two years,
and then accepted the advice of a New Light ecclesiastical
council which culminated in the gathering of a Separate
Congregational church on Jan. 3, 1746. In September of
1748, the church voted to place itself under the Boston
PreBbytery, and thereby ending its career as a Separate
Congregational body, became the First Presbyterian Church
in Newburyport.

From its organization in 1746, the church mixed congrega-
tional and presbyterian elements, gathering the church and
installing the pastor independent of any presbytery or
council, and while employing ruling elders, insisting on
their being elected annually.

Minister: Jonathan Parsons (inst. 1746; d. 1776)

See Jonathan Stearns, A Historical Discourse . Commemora tive

of the Organization of the First "Presbyterian (Jhurch, in

ipwSuryport Delivered at TETTIr iF Tent ennial~7eTeTratTon ■
pi- Z» SEES Uewbiiryport,-Ig4g7rX S. Vermilye, A His-
toncal Discourse Delivered at the toe Hundredth Anniversary

415

of the Building of the First Presbyterian Church , Newbury -
port . Mass . Uxth an Appendix (Newburyport « 1856;; Moody P.
Cook, A Genealogical AddressT Giving; a Brief History of the
pfl-njshioners and Founders of the Federal~Street ChurcnT
from 1745 -6 to~T862 » with tEe Names of Jheir Descendents ,
Now Parishioners , Delivered before~the Ladies ' and Gentle -
men's Association of the Tarish ,
[orace C. Hovey (ed. ) » Origin and

I5S2 (57p., 1562);
s oF^The Old South"

First Presbyterian Church and Parish, in 5ewburyport % '~ Kass ,
1746 - 1896 (BostonT 1896 .); C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Sepa -
ratism in New England , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London,
1962;, pp. 100-101, 316.

NEWBURYPORT, Fifth Church in Newbury (C), extinct.

Bellville Congregational Church (C).

The Fifth Church in Newbury (after 1764, the Second in New-
buryport) was gathered on July 22, 1762, the Fifth Parish
having been organized the previous year.

With Newburyport's becoming a town (1764), the parish be-
came the Fourth in Newbury; when West Newbury was set off
in 1820, the parish was designated the Second in Newbury.
The church, however, had ceased to meet soon after the
resignation of the minister in 1784, and there had been an
interim of eight years between the last meeting of the old
Fourth Parish in 1800 and the so-called resuscitation of
that body in 1808 as the prudential arm of the Bellville
Congregational Church organized in the latter year.
The argument for continuity emphasizes the fact that no new
parish/society was incorporated in 1808, the reorganization
of the prudential body resting on the 1761 act of incorpo-
ration. Bellville Congregational Church was gathered with-
out the aid of an ecclesiastical council; only one of its
constituting-i members , a woman, had been a member of the
1762 church. In 1853, the area containing the church was
annexed to Newburyport.

1. The argument for continuity was urged by Daniel T.
Fiske in An Historical Discourse commemorative of the Fif -
tieth Anniversary of the Organization of the BeTTville~?on -
gregational Church , Newbuirport , Ma"sl « Delivered on
ThankagivxnF; Day ~Nov. 25. 1858 (Boston, 1859-)-

4-16

Minister: Oliver Noble (inst. 1762; res. 1784; d. 1792)

Ruling elders: although not so titled, officers filling
the functions of ruling elders were elected in 1763*

Deacons :

Capt. Moses Little
Capt. Stephen Ordway

Peter Merrill (e
Ichabod Atkinson (e

(e. 1765)
(e. 1763)

1762: m. 1763)
1762)

The records are owned and held by the Bellville Congrega-
tional Church, Newburyport.

CR I - "Records of the Fifth Church of Newbury Rev. Oliver
Noble - Minister," Volume badly mutilated; some records,
1762-1765, with vital statistics through 1797-

PR I - "Records of the Fifth, Fourth, and Second Parishes
in Newbury. 1761-1854. " Records of the Fifth Parish,
1761-1800; of the parish of Bellville Congregational Church,
1808-1852.

Miscellaneous records: "Early Records of the Parishes and
Churches at the West End of the Newbury Settlement," con-
taining collected loose MS papers, 1696, 1710, 1751, 1759-
1779, and a few items relating to Bellville Congregational
Church.

Bellville 1 s church records commence with the organization
of the church de novo in 1808; proprietors records begin
in 1807.

NEWBURYPORT, Third (C), extinct.

The church was gathered by secessionists from the First
Church in Newburyport on March 4, 1768, and was known as
the Third or North Church in Newburyport, or "the church
on Titcomb Street." The Third Religious Society, organized
in 1768, received incorporation in 1794- .
The church became extinct in 1909, by merging with the
Fourth (Prospect Street) Church and the Whitefield Congre-
gational Church to form Central Congregational Church.

417

Ministers:

Christopher Bridge Marsh fora. 1768; d. 1773)
Samuel Spring, D.D. (ord. 1777; d. 1819$

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Richard Smith
Joseph Pearson

(e. 1768; m. 1777),
(e. 1768; m. 1783)

The records are owned and held by the Central Congregational
Church, Newburyport.

CR I - "Book belonging to the North Congregational Church
in Newbury-port. A.D. 1768," 1768-1783.

CR I COPY & CR II - Church Records, 1768-1783 (copy), with
vital statistics to 1789; lacuna, 1789-1819; records, 1819-
1837.

CR III - "Records of the Second Congregational Church in
Newburyport. " 1837-1865.

VS - "Records of Marriages, Baptisms, and Deaths, in con-
nection with the North Congregational Society of Newbury-
port, No I." 1777-1859.

CR IV - Church Records, 1866-1906. 5

PROP/SR I - Records of the Proprietors and of the Third
Religious Society, 1768-1826.

PROP II - Proprietors Records, 1828-1876.

PROP III - "Proprietors Record Book of The North Congrega-
tional Church 1878-1909."

1. The Deacon Atkinson who transferred his membership to
this church in 1780 may have served in the same office
here. Deacon William Eaton died in 1819* but whether he
was elected before or after 1805 is not known.

2. Called "Second Church" because the Fifth Church of
Newbury (technically Newburyport Second) was by this time
extinct.

3. A fifth volume, 1906-1909, completes the church's rec-
ords up to its extinction by merger.

418

SR II - "Third Religious Society's Records 1826." 1826-
1871.

SR III - "North Congregational Society 1872-1908. nl

Miscellaneous records: Church Registers of Members, 1862-
1907, 1862-1909; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1881-1906;
Pew Accounts and Conveyances, 1768-1788, 1815-1858; 1863-
1889; Pew List, 1828.

NEWBURTPORT, Fourth (C), extinct.

The church was gathered by secessionists from the First
Presbyterian Church on May 30, 1793, and was known as the
Fourth or Prospect Street or Temple Street Church. The
Fourth Religious Society (sometimes denominated the In-
dependent Calvinistic Society) was incorporated in 1794.
The church became extinct in 1909, by merging with the
Third (Titcomb Street) Church and the Whitefield Congrega-
tional Church to form Central Congregational Church.
Ihiring its early days, the church retained much of the
Presbyterian structure of the parent church, but was in-
dependent of any presbytery, synod or ecclesiastical
judicatory.

Minister: Charles V. Milton (inst. 1794; dism. 1837;

d. 1837)

Ruling elders: peculiar to this church was the rule that
ruling elders had to be elected each year, and this prac-
tice was followed until the office was abandoned in 18 50.

Daniel Plummer (e.

Timothy Jackman (e.

Samuel Noyes Ce.

Jonathan Morse (e.

Moses Hoyt (e.

Henry Pierce (e.

annually
annually
annually
annually
annually
annually

1794-1797)

1794-1795)

1794-1805ff.)

1795-1805f f . )

1796-1803)

l?98-1805ff.)

1. A fourth volume, 1909, completes the society's records
up to its extinction by merger.

419

Hubbard Haskell
Enoch Hale
Thomas M. Clerk

Deacons : Solomon Haskell
Jonathan Morse

Silas Parker

(e. annually 1803-1805f f • )
(e. annually 1803-1805ff . )
(e. annually 1804-1805ff . )

(e. 1794; d. 1829)

(e. 1794; res. 1796 to devote

time to the ruling eldership;

m. 1805ff.)

(e. 1796; d. 1833)

The records are owned and held by the Central Congregational
Church, Newburyport.

CR I - "Records of the Independent Calvinist Church."
1793-1836.

CR II - "Records of the Independent now the Fourth Church
in Newburyport. May 5th 1794." 1837-1867.

CR III - Church Records, 1867-1896.

CR IV - Church Records, 1896-1909-

SR I - Society Records, 1794-1875-

NEWBURYPORT, Belleville Church and Society (see Newburyport,
Fifth Church of Newbury).

NEWBURYPORT, Independent Calvinist Church (see Newburyport,
Fourth).

420

NEWBURYPORT, Prospect Street Church, and Society (see New-
buryport, Fourth),

NEWBURYPORT, North Church and Society (see Newburyport,
Third).

NEWBURYPORT, Second Church and Parish (see Newburyport,
Fifth Church of Newbury).

NEWBURYPORT, Temple Street Church (see Newburyport, Fourth)

NEWBURYPORT, Titcomb Street Church (see Newburyport, Third)

NEWBURY SIDE Parish (see Byfield).

421

NEW CAMBRIDGE (see Newton, First)

NEW FRAMINGHAM (see Lanesboro).

NEW MARLBORO, First (now United) (C).

The church was gathered on Oct, 31, 1744. The First
Society /Parish was organized in the same year, received
incorporation in 1794, and was dissolved not long after
the incorporation of the church in 1910.
In I960, this church federated with New Marlboro's South-
field and Mill River churches to form the United Church.

Ministers: Thomas Strong

Caleb Alexander, D.D.

Jacob Catlin, D.D.

ford. 1744; d. 1777)

(ord. 1781; dism. 1782;
d. 1828)

(ord. 1787; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Nathaniel Harmon
Seth Strong
Jesse Taylor
Caleb Wright
Ephraim Guiteau
Samuel Sheldon
Artemas Brigham
Ezra Knapp

e. 1749; rem. n.d.)

e. 1756; rem. n.d.)

e. 1761-1762; d. 1782)

e. 1772; d. 1815)

e. 1772; rem. n.d.)

e. 1780; d. 1818)

e. 1797; d. 1798)

e. 1799; rem. n.d.)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the
Mill River Library, New Marlboro.

422

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 174A-ca. 1826.

CR II - "The Records of the first Church of Christ in New
Marlborough, Mss. Book 2." 1826-1869-

CR III - "Records. First Cong'l Church, New-Marlboro.
1868." 1868-1910.

PR I - "Book of Records for the first Parish in New Marl-
borough. " 1792-1860.

PR II - "Records." 1861-1923 .

NEW MARLBORO, Second/Southfield (now United) (C).

The church was gathered on April 25, 1794- as the Second/
South Parish or Southfield Church in New Marlboro. The
South Parish was incorporated in 1794, and the Trustees of
the funds subscribed for the support of the Gospel Ministry
in 1797. The parish was dissolved at the incorporation of
the church in 1905.

In I960, this church federated with New Marlboro's First
and Mill River churches to form the United Church.

Ministers: John Stevens (inst. 1794; d. 1799)
Nathaniel Turner (ord. 1799; d. 1812)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Nathan Butler (e. 1794; rem. n.d. ) P
Joseph Fitch (e. 1794; rem. 1817)

The records are owned by the church, and kept in the South-
field church building.

1. Church records for the years ca. 1744-1777 were used

by Hadley K. Turner in preparing his book, A History of New
Marlborough (Great Barrington, Mass., 1954).

2. It is not known whether Deacons Ebenezer Smith and
Benjamin Smith, who died in 1816 and 1842, respectively,
were elected before 1806.

425

CE I - "Church Records of the South Parish in New-
Marlborough. " 1794- (a copy), 1813-1833.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in the South
Parish of New Marlborough." 1834-1871.

CR I, II COPT - "Records of the South New Marlboro or
Southfield Cong'l Church, Organized April 25th, 1794, to
Jan. 22, 1871." Copy made by Otis Lombard in 1860, with
additional data; carried through 1871.

CR III - "Book No. 3d. Records of the Congregational
Church of the South Parish of New Marlborough. Also its
new Covenant, Articles of Faith and Standing Rules." 1871-
1896.

PR I - "Records of the Cong: Ch: [ sic ] in Southfield."
Parish records, 1856-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1890-
1906; MS church and parish history, 1794-1846, entitled
"Church & Parish Records - Southern New Marlboro or South-
field"; Church Register, 1794-1870; Parish Treasurer's
Accounts, 1823-1865 i 1866-1871.

NEW" MARLBORO, North Parish (see New Marlboro, First).

NEW MEDFIELD (see Sturbridge, Federated).

1. Memorandum in CR I, II COPT reports as of 1860 that the
earliest extant records at that time dated from 1813.

424

NEW-ROWLEY (see Georgetown).

NEW SAL*M, First Parish (U), inactive.

The church was gathered on Dec. 15, 1742. The Congrega-
tional Society, incorporated in 1782, was dissolved in 1788,
when it was superceded by the First Parish. The Trustees

? f t o e a Fund ° f tlie Con e re S atioiial Society were incorporated
in 181 y •

Ministers :

Samuel Kendall
Joel Poster
Warren Pierce

ord. 1742; res. 1776; d. 1792)
ord. 1779; res. 1802: d. 1812)
ord. 1804; res. 1807)

Ruling elders: none.

e. 1744; m. 1761)
e. 1750: m. 1761)
e. 1759)

e. 1768; m. 177D
m. 1796; rem. 1814)

Deacons: Ebenezer Pelton
Jeremiah Ballard
Benjamin Southwick
Uzial Putnam
Samuel Kendall -,
Joshua Hemmenway
William Lamed
Timothy Packard

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the
Town Hall.

CR I - "Minister's Records of Congregational Society of New
Salem, Mass. from 1742. Marriages . Baptisms , ^missions
to communion . &c." Fragmentary records, 1742-17521

VS I - "Copy of Marriage record of Congregational Church
in New Salem prior to 1800." 1742-1782.

CR II - "Church Records Commencing with the Ministry of
Rev. Alpheus Harding, December 2d., AD. 1807- " 1807-1858,
with vital statistics to 1868.

1. Hemmenway, Lamed and Packard are titled deacons in a
church membership list of 1805-1807; it is presumed all
were elected before 1806.

425

OR I & II COPT - Inez S. Lederer, typescript, "New Salem,
Mass. Church Records. Admissions and Dismissions 174-3-
1833."

CR I & II PUB - Inez S. Lederer and Winifred L. Holman.
"New Salem, Mass., Church Records," NEHGR, CXIII (1959),
29-4-2.

PR I - Parish Records, 1788-1846.

PR II - "Parish Record." 1864- present.

Miscellaneous records: Records of the Trustees of the Fund,
1820-1909.

NEW SALEM, North Church and Society (C).

The beginnings of this church are obscure, but it appears
that it was gathered early in the years between 1802 and
1807 in North New Salem. A meetinghouse erected in the
latter year housed its services, although ownership was
held by New Salem's First Parish.

The minister of the First Parish supplied here until 1824
when the members withdrew from him ^because of his Unitarian
sympathies), organized their own Orthodox Society, and
styled themselves the Trinitarian Congregational Church.
Neighboring Congregational ministers supplied the pulpit
from 1825 to 1842, Baptists and others from 1842 to 1847. ±
The site of the meetinghouse, meanwhile, had been changed.
A Methodist church was formed in North New Salem in 1867,
absorbing many of the members of the Trinitarian Congrega-
tional Church, and Methodists supplied the pulpit of the
meetinghouse until 1879, when the Methodist church was dis-
banded and as many of its members as were willing were
transferred to the Methodist church in Orange.
Some members, however, considered themselves still members
of the Trinitarian Congregational Church, and after a brief

1. By a recent adjustment of town boundaries, the church
building now stands in the town of Orange.

426

time, acquired the supply services of the ministers of
Orange's Central Congregational Church, an arrangement
which continued until 194-9 - In 1902-1903, the present
North Congregational Society was organized and recognized
by an ecclesiastical council. Ministers of Orange's Mis-
sion Covenant Church supplied here from 1949 until 1961,
when the church settled its first resident Congregational
minister-
No ruling elders appear to have been employed here, nor any
deacons elected until 1903.

Except for fragmentary society records, there are no rec-
ords antedating 1961. The extant records are owned and
held by the church.

SR I - Society Records, 1824-1831.

SR II - Society Records, 1836-1843.

PROP I - Records of the Proprietors of the Meeting House,
1835-1844.

See "New Salem Anniversary," p. B 13, Greenfield Recorder -
Gazette, Aug. 5» 1953.

NEWTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on July 20, 1664 in the area vari-
ously called Nonantum, Cambridge Village and New Cambridge,
in 1691 incorporated as the town of Newton. The First Par-
ish was organized in 1664, and the Proprietors of the Meet-
ing House in 1860. The parish was dissolved before the
incorporation of the church in 1895-

Ministers:

John Eliot, Jr.
Nehemiah Hobart
John Cotton
Jonas Merriam
Jonathan Homer, D.D.

ord. 1664; d. 1668)

ord. 1674; d. 1712)

ord. 171^; d. 1757)

ord. 1758; d. 1780)

ord. 1782; res. 1839;
d. 1843)

42?

Ruling elder: Thomas Wiswall (e. and ord. 1664; d. 1683)

Deacons: John Jackson, Sr. Ce.

Samuel Hyde, Sr. (e.

Isaac Williams (d.

James Trowbridge (m.

Edward Jackson, Jr. te.

Thomas Oliver (e.

Richard Ward (d.

John Staples (d.

William Trowbridge (d.

Ebenezer Stone (d.

John Stone (d.

John Clark (d.

Ephraim Ward (m.

Thomas Greenwood (m.

Jonas Stone (m-

John Woodward (e.

David Stone (e.

Ebenezer Woodward (e.

Samuel Murdock {e.

Jeremiah Wiswall (e.

and ord, 1664; d.
and ord. 1664; d.

1707)

1705; d. 1717)

and ord. 1707; d.

and ord. 1707; d.

1739
1740
1744

1754

1769

1773.

1770; d. 1772)

1770; res. 1773;
1770; res. 1796;
1773; res. 1798;
1773; res. 17?8;
1798; d. 1806
1798; d. 1814
1798; d. 1836

1674)
1689)

1727)
1715)

d. 1774)

d. 1804)

d. 1801)

d. 1802)

A parsonage fire in 1770 destroyed all records antedating
that year; the extant records are owned and held by the
church -

CR I - "Newton Chh Records." 1770-1827-

CR II - "Records of the first Church in Newton." 1827-1873.

CR III - "First Church, Newton - Records." 1873-1891-

CR IV - "Record First Church, Newton." 1892-1910.

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1778-1805-

PR I COPY - Typescript copy, made by W.P.A. workers, 1937-
1938.

PR II - Parish Records, 1806-1846.

PR III - "Records of the First Parish in Newton Commencing
May 1846." 1846-1860.

PR III DUP - Partial duplicate of PR I, 1846-1855-

4-28

PROP I - "Proprietors of the Meeting House in the First
Parish in Newton." 1855-1883.

PROP II - "Commonwealth of Massachusetts City of Newton
First Parish Newton Legal title being 'The Proprietors
of the Meeting House in the First Parish in Newton. ' "
1883-1895*

Miscellaneous records: Church Register. 1859-1895; Church
Treasurer's Accounts, (a) Benevolences. 1870-1888 . 1890-
1896. 1896-1899, 1896-1908, (b) Communion. 1883-1888, (c)
General, 1888-1895 (two vols.), 1895-1899* 1896-1904! 1896-
1908; Church Standing Committee Records, 1884-1888, 1888-
1895, 1895-1929; Church Prudential Committee, 1895-1931-
Precinct/Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1779-1793 (two vols,
one a V.P.A. typescript copy), 1795-1839, 1796-1817; Meet-
ing House Committee Records, 1869-1870; Meeting House Ac-
counts, 1804-1808; Proprietors Treasurer's Accounts, 1862-
1874, 1868-1895, 1876-1895.

See Jonathan Homer, "Description and History of Newton, in
the County of Middlesex," MHSC, 1st Ser. , V (1796, rep!
1835), 253-280; Francis Jackson, History of the Early
Settlement of Newton . County of Middlesex T llasSachllset ts.
From 1622 to 1800. WiWlT ^n^aTo"5 icl5 H?egister ot Its
Inhabitants, Prior to 1800 l Boston, 1854), A Brier"Hlitory
2| the First Church T Newton ( Newton Center . 7 with Articles

NEWTON, First Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Jan. 17 t 1751 in the part of
Newton adjoining present-day Brookline. 1 About 1758 it

iw 0f t he authorities cited below, Backus and Goen list
this church under Brookline, possibly to distinguish it
from the Second Separate Congregational Church in Newton

429

absorbed the members of Newton's Second Separate Congrega-
tional Church. When a Baptist church was organized in
Newton in 1780, it attracted most of the members of the
Separate Congregational body.

Minister: Jonathan Hyde (ord. 1751; d. 1787)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the absence of any rec-
ords, the only name that has survived is that of Deacon
Winchester, father of New Light preacher Elhanan Winchester.

See Isaac Backus, A Church History of New England , III
(Boston, 1796), pp. 171-172; S. F. Smith, History of Newton ,
Massachusetts . Town and City From Its Earliest Settlement
to the Present Time T " TS3<5 r l880~ TBo3ton 1 1856), p. 200;
tJT CT~Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England, 1740 -
1800 (New Haven and LoncTon, 1962;, pp. "57 f 3l2V

NEWTON, Second Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Jan* 17, 1753. About 1758 it
was absorbed by Newton's First Separate Congregational
Church, which in turn joined with the Baptist church or-
ganized in Newton in 1780.

Minister: Nathan Ward (ord. 1753; dism. and rem. 1758;

d. 1804)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the absence of any rec-
ords, no names of lay personnel have survived.

See the works cited for NEWTON, First Separate Church.

NEWTON, Second (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 21, 1781 in the West Pre-
cinct (incorporated 1778) as the Second Church in Newton.
The Second Congregational Society was incorporated in 1869.

430

Minister: William Greenough (ord. 1781; cU 1831)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Ward

Joseph. Jackson
Enoch Ward
Joseph Fuller
Thomas Eustis, Jr.

e. 1781; d. 1784

e. 1781; d. 1803

e. 1789; d. 1789

e. 1793; res, 1811; d. 1813)

e. 1800; res. 1806; d. 1809)

The records are owned and held hy the church.

CR I - "Church Records 1781." 1781-1856.

CR II - "Records - Second Congregational Church of Newton.
Mass." 1856-1914.

VS I - "Register. Second Church in Newton at West Newton."
Admissions, 1781-1948.

VS II - Vital Statistics, 1860-1894.

PR I - "West P. Meetings." Parish records, 1778-1842.

PR II - Parish Records, 1843-1859.

P/SR III - Parish/Society Records, 1860-1914.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Sacramental Accounts, 1827-
1853; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1780-1794, 1800-1855.

NEWTON, West Precinct/Parish (see Newton, Second, West)

NEWTOWN (see Cambridge).

4-51

NIPNUG, Indian Church (see Grafton, Hassanamesit Indian
Praying Town and Church).

NORFOLK, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on June 16, 1798 as the North
Church in Vrentham, its personnel having seceded from
Wrentham First Church. The North Society, organized in
1795» was incorporated in 1799* and reincorporated as the
North Parish Congregational Funding Society. In 1832, the
Cleaveland Religious Society was incorporated, the two
societies continuing side by side until the church received
incorporation on June 24, 1889. The federation with other
local religious bodies took place in 1918.

Minister: John Cleaveland, Jr. (ord. 1798; d. 1815)

Ruling elders and deacons : the loss of the early records
accounts for the dearth of information regarding lay of-
ficers of this church. Among those prominent in the sepa-
ration that led to the gathering of the Norfolk church were
Wrentham deacons Thomas Mann and Jacob Pond. In 1795 they
were summarily dismissed from the Wrentham diaconate and
then, in an attempt at healing the separation, offered the
opportunity to resume their duties in the parent church.
Whether Mann (who died in 1807) and Pond (who died in 1815)
accepted these terms, or whether they continued at Norfolk,
is unknown.

Several fires between 1798 and 1961 have destroyed many of
the church's records; those extant are owned and held by
the church.

C MISC - Benjamin Day's Records of the Avery Case, 1793-
1795* with data on the Wrentham and Norfolk churches, 1793-
1802.

1. Deacon Asa Ware, who appears in the society records in
1811, was probably elected after 1805* possibly as a re-
placement to Deacon Mann.

432

CR I - MI3SING, Church Records, 1798-1876. Destroyed by
fire.

CR II - "Records of the Union Congregational Church, Nor-
folk:, Mass. Commencing May 14th 1876." 1876-1900.

SR I - "A Book of Record's For the North Society in Wren-
tham Feb. 8th 1798." 1798-1886.

SR II - "A Book of Records of the Cleaveland Religious
Society in North Wrentham Which was organized according
to Law April 30th AD. 1832." 1832-1889.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1888-
1903; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1795-1863, 1877-1889;
Church Treasurer's Receipt Book, 1832-1849.

See Mortimer Blake, A Centennial History of the Mendon

TBoston, 1653); Bertha Fales, typescript "A History of
Norfolk," ca. 19^8 » copies at the church and local public
library.

NORTHAMPTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on June 18, 1661, and the First
Parish organized in 1826.

Ministers:

Eleazar Mather
Joseph Eliot

Solomon Stoddard
Jonathan Edwards

John Hooker
Solomon Williams

Cord, pastor 1661; d. 1669)
(unord. , sett- as assistant
or teacher 1662; rem. 1664,
d. 169^)

Cord. 1672; d. 1729)
Cord, colleague 1726/27;
dism. 1750; d. 1758)
Cord. 1753; d. 1777)
Cord. 1778; dism. 1823;
d. 183*0

433

Ruling elders : John Strong

Deacons :

(e. 1662:

d. 1699 )i
Preserved Clapp (e. 1720)
Ebenezer Strong (d. 1729)

ord. 1663;

William Holden
Thomas Hanchet

p

Medad Pomeroy
Jonathan Hunt
Nathaniel Phelps
John Clark
Thomas Sheldon
Ebenezer Wright
Samuel Allen
John Clark
Noah Cook
Ebenezer Pomeroy
Stephen Wright

lit. Ebenezer Hunt
Lt. Supply Kingsley
Maj. Joseph Hawley
Jonathan Hunt
Aaron Cook
Josiah Clark, Jr.
Lt. Elijah Clark
Lt. Moses Kingsley
Enos Wright
Solomon Allen

Israel Clark
Luther Clark

(e. 1662; ord. 1663; d. 1691)
(e. and ord. 1668; rem. n.d. ;
d. 1686)

e. and ord. 1675; d. 1720)

e. and ord. 1680; d. 1691)

e. and ord. 1691; d. 1702)
(e. and ord. 1691; d. 1704)
'e. and ord. 1702; d. 1725

e. and ord. 1704; d. 1748
.e. and ord. 1725; d. 1739
(e. and ord. 1730; d. 1768
(e. and ord. 1739; d. 1773
(e. and ord. 1739; d. 1774,
(e. and ord. 1739; m. 1740;
rem. n.d.)
fe. 1754; d. 1788
(e. 1754; d. 1768
(e. 1762; d. 1788,
(e. 1764; d. 1796)

e. 1774; d. 1805)

e. 1774; d. 1808)
,e. 1785; d. 1791)
(e. 1785; rem. 1794)
(e. 1791 ; d. 1834)
(e. 1797; demitted 1804 to
enter the ministry)3
'e. 1804; d. 1851}

e. 1805; d. 1855)

i

The records are owned and held by the church.

1. See Edward Strong, "Elder John Strong and His Descend-
ents," NEHGR, XXIII (1869), 294-296.

2. Sometimes given as "Pumroy."

3. Deacon Joseph Clark of Peru, who transferred his church
membership here in 1803, may have served as a deacon in this
church.

434

CR I - "1st Church Records - 1661 to 1846 - Old First Book,

..1

CR II - "Minutes of the proceedings of the Church in
Northampton, 1821-1888."

VS I - "Church Book 3. Admissions, Dismissions, Marriages,
Baptisms, Deaths." 1845-1924.

PR I - "Parish Record. Vol. One." 1826-1844.

PR II - "Records. Vol. Two. First Parish." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Congregational Church and Society in
Northampton from January 1845 to March 1st 1880.")

PR III - "Records, Vol. 3. First Parish." 1880-1909.

Miscellaneous records: Church Register and Records of
Church Committee, 1818-1874; Parish Treasurer's Accounts,
1873-1887-

See Solomon Clark, Historical Catalogue of the Northampton
First Church , 1661 - 18^1 (Northampton, 1891).

NORTHAMPTON, Second Precinct (see Southampton).

1. fimil Oberholzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints (New York,
1956), p. 34S, describes the entries in this volume as
"largely illegible, and parts of the book are badly muti-
lated." Actually, the entries are quite legible, and the
mutilations consist of occasional (although not consistent)
erasures of the names of delinquents restored to church
fellowship.

2. One report tells of a so-called "Judd Manuscript," be-
ing a clergyman's record of Northampton marriages, 1735-
1806, held by Forbes Library, Northampton.

435

NORTH AOTOVER, North Parish (U).

The church, the First in Andover, was gathered on Oct. 24,
164-5. Andover was divided into North and South Precincts
in 1708, the old church falling into the former area. The
North Parish Church and Society received incorporation in
1854. In 1855, North Andover became a town, and the titles
were changed to the North Parish Church and Society of North
Andover.

Ministers: John Woodbridge

Francis Dane

Thomas Barnard
John Barnard
William Symmes, D.D

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Barker

Joseph Stevens
John Osgood
John Farnum
Samuel Barker
Samuel Phillips
Joseph Osgood
Samuel Barker, 3rd
Capt. Benjamin Farnum
Capt. John Adams
Dr. George Osgood

(ord. at Rowley for service

at Andover 1645; rem. 164-7;

d. 1694/95)

(ord. teacher 1648; d.

1696/97)

ord. 1682; d. 1718)

ord. 1719; d. 1758)

ord. 1758; d. 1807)

e. 1693)

e. 1694)

e. 1719; res. 1746)

e. 1727)

(e. 1736)

(e. 1748: res. 1790)

(e. 1763)

(e. 1766)

(e. 1790)

(e. 1797)

(e. 1797)

There are no church records antedating 1686; the extant
records are owned by the church and deposited at a local
bank. Microfilm copies are owned and held by the North
Andover Historical Society.

CR I - "Journal kept by Rev. Thomas Barnard, John Barnard
and Dr. Symmes." 1686-1810.

CR II - "Minister's Book, 1810-1850."

CR III - "Minister's Book, 1810-1850 [ sic ]." Incorrectly
dated in title; covers 1846-1936.

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1708-1827.

436

PR II - Parish Records, 1828-1849.

P/SR III - Parish/Society Records, 1849-1916.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate Books. 1712-
1780, 1781-1823; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1802-1849,
1824-1848, 1849-1920, 1849-1861, 1861-1914: Pew Deeds, 1814-
1826, 1836-1862.

See Abiel Abbot, The History of Andover from its Settlement
to 1820 ( Andover, "I520J; Sarah L. BaileyT TgstoricaT
Sketches of Andover, Massachusetts (Boston, 1880); Claude M.
Fuess. Andover : Symbol of New England : The Evolution of a
Town (Portland, Me., 19597-

NORTH ATTLEBORO, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 12, 1712. It was located
in that part of Attleboro which in 1743 was set off as the
First Precinct (or West Parish), and which since has come
to be known as "Oldtown." The Congregational Society was
organized in 1794 and incorporated the next year.

Ministers :

Matthew Short
Ebenezer White
Habijah Weld
John Wilder

ord. 1712; dism. r?15; d. 1731)

ord. 1716; d. 1726)

lord. 1727; d. 1782)

ord. 1790; dism. 1822; d. 1836)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Fuller

Ebenezer Lane
Jonathan Stanley
Enoch Robinson
Aaron Davis
Elihu Carpenter

(m. 1716)

Cm. 1752-1757)

(m. 1770-1791)

.e. 1791)

,n.d.)

e. 1800)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1741-1840, with marriages and deaths
for 1851-1856. Entries for 1741-1805 largely confined to
vital statistics.

437

CR I COPY - Typescript copy, made in 1950, by Mrs.
Eleanor M. McLintock.

CR II - "Records of the Business transacted by the First
Congregational Church of the Lord Jesus Christ in Attlebor-
ough Massachusetts. Commencing February 8th, AD- 1828
[sic]." 184-1-1867, with vital statistics to 1914.

CR III - "Records of the First Congregational Church Attle-
borough. from Jan 1st 1868 to May 11 1916."

SR I - "A Book of Records of the Incorporated Congregational
Society in the 1st precinct in Attleborough May 19th 1794."
1794-1894.

PR I - Precinct/Parish Records, 1822-1842.

Miscellaneous records: Society Assessors 1 Rate Book, ±831-
1835; Society Committee Records, 1845-1904.

N0RTHB0R0, First Congregational-Unitarian Church (U).

The church was gathered on May 26, 1746 as the Church in
the Second Precinct of Westboro, becoming the Church in
Northboro when the precinct became a town in 1766. The
First Unitarian Society was organized in 1832.

Ministers:

John Martyn (ord. 1746; d. 1767)
Peter Whitney Cord. 1767; d. 1816)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan Livermore
Matthias Rice
Paul Newton

Seth Rice, Jr.
Isaac Davis

(e. 1746; res. ±782)

(e. 1746; d. 1764)

(e. ca. 1765; res. ±795;

d. ±756)

(e. 1782; res. 1807)

(e. 1795; res. 1825; d. 1826)

Records antedating 1780 were destroyed by fire in that year;
the extant records are owned and held by the church.

438

OR I - "Northborough Church & Book of Records, 1780,"
1780-1845, with memoranda of the years 1746-1780.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1845-1880.

CR III - "Northborough Church & Book of Records, 1880-1908."

See Peter Whitney, The Duty of Praising the Works of God ,
to Succeeding; Generations , Considered andTpplied in a Dis -
course, Delivered at Northborough on Wedne sday , June 1st,
17^6 (Worcester, l796j; Joseph Allen, The Day ' of " "Small
Things . A Centennial Discourse , Delivered in fforthborougji ,
June 1 , 1^46 , in Commemoration of "the Organization of thg
First Congregational Church in that Place, and the Ordina-
tion of their First Minister, One Hund:

red Years Apr*

With

qxuh ui i/iieir jix-st; aim s^er , une nunarea xears Ag o,
an Appendix (Boston, 1846); William A. Houghton. Oar
Fathers ' Altar : A Centennial Sermon , Preached June 2i 1846 ,
in Commemoration of the Pounding of the First~Christian
£Eurch in Northborough . Mass . (.Worcester, 1846); The Cen -
tennialTelebration of the Town of Northborough , Hals . ,
August 22, 1866 TnTp. , TS56X

NORTHBRIDGB, Center (C).

The church was gathered on June 6, 1782; the Congregational
Society, organized in 1773» was incorporated in 1814. From
1879 to 1897, the church was yoked with the Rockdale Con-
gregational Church of Northboro. The society was dissolved
in 1940.

Minister: John Crane (ord. 1783; dism. 1832; d. 1836)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Jacob Hill
William Park
Amariah Preston

James Morse
Thomas Goldthwait

e. 1783; res. and rem. 1809)

e. 1783; re-e. 1785)

e. 1788; res. 1803; resumed

diaconal office 1805; res. and

rem. 1826)

(e. 1803)

1803; m. 1831 )

439

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "A Book of Records for the Congregational Chh of
Christ in Northbridge." 1782-1834.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church of Christ In
Northbridge. 1835. " 1835-1905.

SR I - "Northbridge Congregational Society's Records.
1814. Clerk's Book No. 1." 1814-1909.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1815-
1897; Society Committee Records, 1815-1911.

NORTH BRIDGEWATER, First Church and Parish (see Brockton).

NORTH BROOKFIELD (C).

The church was gathered as the Second Church in Brookfield
on May 28, 1752, the Second (North) Precinct having been
incorporated in 1750. The precinct became the town of
North Brookfield in 1812. The First Congregational Society
in North Brookfield was incorporated in 1839, by which time
the church had taken the name, First Congregational Church.
The Society was dissolved at the incorporation of the
church in 1926.

Ministers: Eli Forbes, D-D.

Joseph Appleton
Thomas Snell, D.D.

(ord. 1752; dism. 1775;
d. 1804)

Cord. 1776; d. 1795)

(ord. 1798; d. 1862)

1. Dr. Forbes later changed his name to "Forbush. " See
"Diary of Rev. Eli Forbes [for 1762]," MHSP, 2nd Ser. , VII
(1891-2), 384-399.

44-0

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons: John Cutler

Jason Bigelow
Samuel Gould
Reuben Hamilton
John Bacon
Benjamin Adams, Jr.

(e. 1753; res. and rem.

1754)

(e. 1753; d. 1776)

(e. 1754; m. 1770)

(e. 1764; res. 1785)

(e. 1766; m. 1772)

(e. 1779; res. 1806;

d. 1829)

(e. 1784; d. 1820)

Samuel Haskell

The extant records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1752-1796.

CR I COPY & CR II - "The Records of the Second Church of
Christ in Brookfield. " Copy or church records, 1752-1796;
original records, 1797-1851.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1851-1862.

CR IV - Church Records, 1862-1880.

CR V - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of The First
Congregational Church of North Brookfield, Mass.") 1880-
1894.

VS I - "Register, First Congregational Church, North
Brookfield, Mass." Church register, 1752-1956.

VS II - "Church Register. Register of the First Congrega-
tional Church in North Brookfield. Organized May 28th AD
1752. " 1889-present .

PR I COPY - "Records. Old Parish Records." Copy of pre-
cinct/parish records (originals with Town Clerk; , 1746-1811

PR II - Precinct/Parish Records, 1819-1838.

SR III - "Record." Society records, 1839-1868.

SR IV - "Records. First Cong. Society No. Brookfield."
1869-1898.

SR V - "Records First Cong'l Society North Brookfield."
1898-1926.

441

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1806-
1834, 1889-1934 (one hook); Parish Assessors 1 annual Rate
Books, 1817, 1819-1823, 1825-1829, 1831-1843, 1845-1854,
1856-1861, 1865-1874, single book for 1863-1867; Parish/
Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1820-1853, 1852-1921; Pew
Accounts, 1875-1884, 1877-1881, 1881-1883, 1884-1885;
Parish Ledger, 1899-1906; Society Committee Records, 1870-
1890.

NORTH CAMBRIDGE, Church (see Lexington).

NORTH CARVER, Church and First Parish (see Carver).

NORTH CHELSEA, First Church and Parish (see Revere)

NORTH DENNIS, Church (see Dennis).

NORTH DIGBTQN (see Dighton, First).

442

NORTHFIELD, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered in August of 1718, the parish
having been organized earlier the same year.

Ministers: Benjamin Doolittle Cord. 1718; d. 1749)

John Hubbard (ord. 1750; d. 1794)

Samuel C. Allen (ord. 1795, dism. 1798;

d. 1842)

Thomas Mason (ord. 1799; dism. 1830;

d. 1851)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: the list is conjectural, due to the thinness of
the early records. The deacons Medad Pomeroy (Pumry) and
Eliezur Hawks figuring in the Deerfield-Northf ield Propri-
etors Records and Northfield Committee Records during the
early eighteenth century, were probably deacons elsewhere

Benjamin Janes

Eleazur Mattoon

Ebenezer Alexander
Samuel Root

Samuel Smith

Aaron Lyman
Ebenezer Field

Peter S. Evans
Paul Field
Ebenezer Janes
Timothy Button

(came to Northfield 1716;

deacon until rem. to Ct.

1725-1729)

(came to Northfield 1717;

m. as deacon 1723-1732; rem.

1738; d. 1767)

(e. ca. 1728; d. 1768)

(came to Northfield 1744;

m. as deacon 1750-1769;

rem. ca. 1782)

(m. as deacon 1751-1780;

d. 1799)

(d. 1780-1788)

(m. as deacon 1753-1772;

d. 1801)

(dism. 1763)
e. 1769; d. 1778)'
e. 1776-1778; d. 1808)
e. ca. 1796; d. 1814)

There are no church records antedating 1750; the extant
records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1718-1750. 1

1. Temple and Sheldon, 0£. cit . . "Preface," iii, state
that the church records to 1750 have long been lost, and
the "historical portions" of CR II were "purposely cut out
or destroyed. "

44-3

CR II - Church Records, 1750-1796. Largely vital statis-
tics, with a few scattered votes.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1796-1830.

CR IV - "Church Records." 1830-1949.

PR I - "Records 1st Parish Northfield 1826." 1826-1844

PR II - "Records of First Parish - Northfield." 1845-1890

PR III - "Records. First Parish." 1891-present .

Miscellaneous records: the above-mentioned Records of the
Committee for Northfield, 1685-1690 and 1713-1723, are
held by the Northfield Town Clerk. Mention should be made
of the Alexander Collection of papers, held by the North-
field Public Library. Owned and held by the church are
three recent MSS: Dorothy L. Miller, untitled paper on
the early church records; Charles C. Stearns, "History of
(Unitarian) First Parish Church"; Robert S. Slater, "The
History of The First Church of Northfield, Massachusetts,"
1955.

See also John Hubbard, "Mr. Hubbard's Account of North-
field," MHSC, 1st Ser., II (1793, pub. 1810), 30-32;
J. H. Temple and George Sheldon, History of the Town of

A Puritan Outpost: A History of the Town and

7ir

rarsons, a runtan uutpost: a History or the xown
People of Northfield » Massachusetts (New YorE, 193

NORTH NEW SAT.m (see New Salem, North, Orange).

444

NORTH ORANGE (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Nov, 14, 1782 as the Congrega-
tional Church in South Warwick, The following year, this
part of Warwick became the town of Orange. In 1784, the
Congregational Society was incorporated (act repealed in
179D| and so were the Trustees of the Society.
In 1811, having been without a settled ministry since 1790,
the Congregationalists voted to let an unidentified local
"Universalist Society" use the meetinghouse when not being
used by themselves.

In 1822, the surviving church members settled a Unitarian
minister, John Chandler; they dismissed him in 182?. The
trend toward Unitarianism being firmly established, in
1844 members merged with local Universalists to form "The
First Congregational Parish and Society." The latter tra-
dition came so to predominate that in 1868, this body's
name was-, changed to "The Second Universalist Society of
Orange."

In 1878, this Society merged with the "Third Congregational
Church" (founded in 1843) to form "The Universalist Con-
gregational Community Church of North Orange and Tully,"
still in existence today.

Minister: Emerson Poster (inst. 1782; dism. 1790;

d. 1814)

Ruling elders;
Deacons :

none.

Nehemiah Ward
Nathan Goddard, Jr.

(e. 1783; m. 1796)?
(e. 1783; m. 1796)*

The records are owned and held by North Orange and Tully
church.

CR I - "Book of Chh Records of the Church of Christ in
the District of Orange." 1782-1827-^

1. A "First Universalist Society" was organized in Orange
in 1859.

2. The next record of a diaconal election is dated 1823.

3. Under date of April 30, 1824, the records note the
church voted to "erase certain records made by Rev Mr
Foster," which accounts for the thinness of the account-

445

SR I - Society Records, 1781-1880.

See also Charles Conklin, Historical Address delivered in
the North Orange Universalist Church at the One Hundred
and Twenty ^ frifth Anniversary of the Building; of the First
Parish Church in Orange , Now the Second Universalist
Society7 Hay~lT7 1906 Cn.p.. T356); His'tory of NortE
Orange , Massachusetts. Including Leading Events from the
'irat Organization ""of '0range , l78T^L924 (n.p.. 1^257;
Edmund Preece, typescript, "History of The Community
Church Building at North Orange, Massachusetts" 1 ;
Gertrude A. Rugg, "Orange," Greenfield Recorder - Gazette

for July 1, I960.

NORTH READING (C).

(Universalist ) , extinct .

Reading was settled in 1639, and its (First) church was

gathered in 164-5.

In 1713, the residents of northern Reading successfully

petitioned to become a separate precinct, taking the title

of the Precinct on the North Side of Ipswich River and

Sadlor's Rock, Reading's Second Church was gathered in

this precinct on June 29, 1720, and it is with this church

that we now have to do. 2

In 1853, the northern precinct was incorporated as the

town of North Reading, carrying with it the 1720 church.

The church "became known as the First Church of North

1. The typescript is owned and held by Mr. Preece, who is
Treasurer of the North Orange and Tully church.

2. To briefly summarize the history of Reading's other
churches: in 1770, the settlers of southern Reading
gathered their own church, Reading's Third (West), the
parish similarly designated being incorporated as a society

in 1828.

When the remainder of Reading (exclusive of North
Reading) was divided in 1868 into the towns of Reading and
Wakefield, the former municipality carried with it the
1770 church and the latter the ancient church of 164-5*

446

Reading. About 1802, the parish being predominantly Uni-
versalist, organized its own church, but neither parish nor
its church long survived.

The continuing Congregational church absorbed a local
Methodist church in 1892, and took the name Union Congre-
gational Church, incorporating under that title in 1923*

Ministers: Daniel Putnam ford. 1720; d. 1759)
Eliab Stone (ord. 1761; d. 1822)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Thomas Taylor
John Harnden
William Flint
Thomas Hutchinson
Ebenezer Walcot
John Burnap
Daniel Putnam
Amos Upton
Jeremiah Eaton
Henry Putnam
John Swain

e. 1720: nu 1723)

e. 1722)

e. 1727

e. 1732

e. 1736

e. 17^a

e. 175*.
e. 1762

e. 177*!
e. 1778
e. 1791

The ancient records of the church were purportedly re-
tained by the now-extinct Uhiversalist church and society;
these could not be located. The extant records are owned
and held by the North Reading Congregational Church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1720-1802.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in North
Reading, Commencing June 30, 1802: the records from 1720
to June 1802 being in the hands of the Universalists."
1802-1891, with some items copied from CR I.

CR III - Church Records, 1892-1917-

See also The Confession of Faith and Covenant of the Con-
gregational Church in~ ~ TTorth Reading , Mass . wTth Lists oT
the Founders , The Pastors , The Deacons , and The Present
Members . "January 1. 1852 (Lynn, 1852); Manual of the
Union SonRregational Church Inc orporated Organized
June 29, 1720 Incorporated July 16, 1923 North Reading ,
Massachusetts (Wakefield, 1923).

4A7

NORTH ROCHESTER, Church (see Rochester, North)

NORTH SIDE OF IPSWICH RIVER MD SADLOR'S ROCK, Precinct
(see North Reading).

NORTH SIDE OF THE FERRY, Church at (see Beverly, First
Parish),

NORTH TITICUT Congregational. Church (see Middleboro,
North),

NORTH WEYMOUTH, Church and Parish (see Weymouth, First,
East).

NORTH WILBRAHAM, Church and Parish (see Wilbraham).

448

NORTON, The Congregational Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 28, 1714. The parish had
a distinct existence from about 1714, hut was not incorpo-
rated until 1783, the same year in which the Parish
Trustees received incorporation.

Ministers:

Joseph Avery
Joseph Palmer
Pitt Clarke

ord. 1714; dism. 1749; d. 1770)
ord. 1753; d. 1791
ord. 1793; d. 1835

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons : Nicholas White

John Briggs
John Briggs,

Joseph Hodges
John Andrews
Benjamin Hodges
Benjamin Copeland
Samuel Dean
Benjamin Pearson
Daniel Dean
Seth Smith
Asa Copeland
I^ysander Makepeace

(e. 1714; dism. and rem.

1737; d. 1743)
(e. 1730; d. 1750)
(e. 1734; dism. under disci-
pline 1734; d. 1756)
>• 1736; d. 1745
e. 1746; d. 1763
e. 1746; d. 1754
e. 1754; d. 1790
e. 1754; d. 1775
,m. 1777; d. 1799)
e. 1778-1779; d. 1805)
m. 1784; d. 1813)
e. 1803; res. 1824; d. 1829)
(e. 1803; withdrew with
orthodox 1832; served as
deacon until res. 1835;
d. 1859)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned by the
church, and deposited with the Town Clerk.

CR I - "Church Records. Church of Christ in Norton.
1714-1846." Vital statistics, 1714-1846; running records,
1792-1846.

'Presented to
s

CR I COPY & CR II - "Records." (Flyleaf:
the, First Congregational Church in Norton, Mass " , by
Rev a Amory Gale, M.D. April A.D. 1846.") Chronological
arrangement of CR I; church records, 1846-1953.

PR I - "Records, Parish Meetings of Congregational Parish
1st Vol." Precinct/parish records, 1731-1835 (lacuna,
1770-1778). Held by the Norton Public Library.

449

PR II - "Parish Register- Norton, 1835»" Parish records,
1835-P^ e sent.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1810-
1917.

See also for some items no longer extant George F. Clark,
History of the Town of Norton , Bristol County , Massachu -
setts/ 7rom^T65? "to" T859 (Boston, 185977"

NORTON, Separate (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Aug. 11, 1748 by persons dis-
satisfied with the autocratic ways and Old Light doctrine
of Norton pastor Joseph Avery.

On Jan. 9, 1761, the church's officers administered the
first recorded baptism by immersion, marking its entrance
upon its Baptist phase; the church voted itself Baptist on
March 24, 1761.

Its later history can be briefly told: in 1769, it merged
with the Taunton Baptist Society. In 1822, the meeting-
house became the center of Freewill Baptist activities,
the original Calvinistic Baptists dissolving their "First
Baptist Church of Taunton" in 1855i and immediately gather-
ing "The First Baptist Church of Norton."

Minister: William Carpenter (ord. 1748; re-ord. as Bap-
tist minister 1761; d. 1768)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: James Briggs (e. and ord. 17^8; joined the

1761 Baptist Church in 1767;

e. 1767)
Phineas Briggs (e. and ord. 1746)

The only extant records of the Separate Congregational
church, consisting of its 1748 covenant, are contained in
the Backus Papers, owned and held by Andover Newton
Theological School's library. Records no longer extant
were preserved by George F. Clark, History of the Town of
Norton , Bristol County , Massachusetts . From 1669 to 1859

450

(Boston, 1859). See also Samuel Hopkins Emery, The Min-
istry of Taunton , with Incidental Notices of Other Pfo^
fessions (Boston, 1853), 2 vols.

NORTON, East End (see Easton).

NORTON, East Precinct (see Easton).

NORTON, A Separate (the South) Precinct (see Mansfield).

NORWELL, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Feb. 2, 1642 as the South
Church in Scituate, its parish being organized the same
year. The Trustees of a Fund in the South Parish in Sci-
tuate were incorporated in 1779, and the parish itself
received incorporation in 1854.

When the South Parish became the town of Norwell in 1888,
the church and parish names were duly changed.

Ministers: William Wetherell 1 (ord. 1645; do 1684)

1. Sometimes given as "Witherell."

4-51

Thomas Mighill
Deodat Lawson

Nathaniel Eells
Jonathan Dorby
David Barnes, D.D

Ruling elders:

William Hatch
Thomas King

Deacons : Thomas Robinson
James Torrey
Joseph Tilden
Thomas King, Jr.
Samuel Clap
John Jones
James Torrey, Jr.
Joseph Cushing
Stephen Clap

Jacob

George King
Joseph Clap
Joseph Cushing, Jr
Isaac Buck
Joseph Jacob
John Ruggles
John James, Jr.
John James III
Elisha James

ford. 1684; d. 1689)

(ord. 169^; rem. to England

1698)

(ord. 1704; d. 1750)

(ord. 1751; d. 1754)

(ord. 1754; d. 1811)

(e. 1642-1643; d. 1651 )
(e. 1651; d. 1691)

(e.
(e.
(e.

m.

m.

'm.
(m.
(m.
(m.
(m.
(m.

m.

m.

m.

m.

e.
(e.

m.

Mm

Cm. ca

(m. ca

1642-1643; d. 1676)

1642-1643)

1655; d. 1670)

1686-1704)

1700)

ca. 1700)

T701-1704)

ca. 1701)

1719-1721)

1723) 1

1726-173D

1732-1749)

1751-1754)

175D
1751-1754)

1755; d. 1812-1813)
1755 ?; m. 1772)
ca. 1770)
ca. 1780-1833)

The extant records are owned by the church, and deposited
with a local bank. Microfilm copies are owned by the
church and by Andover Harvard Theological Library, Cam-
bridge.

CR I - "A Catalogue of the naones of all such as have been
baptised by Guilielmus Wetherell, pastor to y Seconde
Church, Scituate, 1645." Baptisms, 1645-1689; 1708 joint
action of church and precinct; 1783 precinct acts.^

CR II - "The Church Book." 1751-1754, 1798.

1. Possibly the Deacon Joseph Jones mentioned 175i-1754.

2. Tradition has it that Deodat Lawson, when he removed
to England, took with him the records of his pastorate.

452

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1754-1810. 1

CR IV - "Church Records, Ministry of Samuel Deane." 1810-
1853.

CR V - Church Records, 1856-1908.

VS I, II, III, IV, V - George C. Turner, "Records of the
Second Church of Scituate, Now the First Unitarian Church
of Norwell, Mass.," NEHGR, LVII (1903), 82-86; Sarah R.
Damon and 311a BatesT ToTd . , 178-184; Sarah R. Damon,
ibid., 518-324; V/ilforo~T7 Litchfield, ibid ., 398-403,
EVTTl (1904), 82-90, 168-176, 260-267. 357=391, LIX (1905),
74-79, 134-140, 308-515, 387-392, LX (1906), 61-66, 175-
182, 271-274, 555-340, LXI (1906), 56-59, 172-177, 288-292,
z> i <-~~ 5/5»

Reprinted by V/ilford J. Litchfield. Scituate , Massachusetts .
Second Church Records (in abstract ), 1645-1850 (Boston.
1909;. *"

PR I - "Records of the South Parish, Scituate, 1642-1797."

PR II - "Records of the South Parish, Scituate, 1797-1886."

PR III - "Records of the First Parish in South Scituate,
1881-1922. "

Miscellaneous records: Parish Fund Corporation Accounts.
1864-1906.

See also Samuel Deane, History of Scituate . Massachusetts .
from Its First Settlement to 1831 (Boston, la 51; rep.

NORWICH, Church (see Huntington).

1. The lacuna in the records, 1754-1810, was remarked by
Deane, on. cit . , in 1831.

453

NORWOOD (C).

The church was gathered on June 23, 1736 as the South
Church in Dedham- the Second (South) Precinct having been
set off in 1730. The Proprietors of the Meeting House
were incorporated in 1829, and dissolved in 1882.
Mention should be made of the unusual fact of the church's
having been incorporated as a "body politick" by an act of
the State Legislature in 1824.

In 1872, the precinct became the town of Norwood. The
First Congregational Parish was incorporated in 1882, the
First Congregational Church in 1884.

Ministers: Thomas Balch

Jabez Chickering

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. 1736; d. 1774)
(ord. 1776; d. 1812)

Deacons : John Everett

Capt. Ezra Morse
John Dean

Nathaniel Sumner, Esq.
Ebenezer Everett
Lt. James Kingsbury
Capt. Ebenezer Everett
Capt. Jesse Gay

e. 1736; d. 175D

e. 1736; d. 1760

e. 1736; d. 1770

e, 1752; d. 1802

e. 1760; d. 1778

e. 1778; d. 1814

e. 1778; d. 1808)

(e. 1802; d. ca. 1836)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited with a
local bank.

CR I - "This Book belongs to the Church of Christ — in
Dedham — Second Parish — And contains in it a Short
History of the Settlement of Said Church, Together with
Some other Things thot Material to be recorded —
June 30th. 1736." 1736-1775. Bound with PR I (cf. below).

CR II - "Records." (Flyleaf:
1776-1824.

"Church Book 1776 to .")

CR III - "Records of the South Church in Dedham." (Fly-
leaf: "The Third Book of Records of the South Church in
Dedham, containing an Account of the Proceedings of the
said Church, in their Ecclesiastical Capacity, from
June 5, 1824, the time when the Church was incorporated

1. The South Precinct/Parish was sometimes known as
"Tiot" Precinct/Parish.

4-54

and made a Body Politick, by an Act of the Legislature of
this Commonwealth. " ) 1824-1878 . ±

CR PUB - Don Gleason Hill, The Record of Baptisms , Marriages
and Deaths » and Admissions to the ChurcE and Dismissals
Therefrom , Transcribed from the Church Records of the Town
of Deri ham , Massachusetts . li£^ - Tg%T TDedham. 155877" Vital
statistics and some church votes , from CR I, II, III.

CR IV - "Records. First Congregational Church, Norwood.
Vol. 4." 1879-1919.

C Inc I - "The Records of the South Church of Dedham in
their Political Capacity." 1824-1871.

C Inc II - "Records of the Church in their Political
Capacity, 1872-1890."

PR I - "Novemb r : 1730. Thise Booke Was Bought by John
[illegible] for the Precinct Laitly Seett of from Deadham
and Stoughton To be a Book of records Price Eaighteen
Shi llings James Pales Jun Clark for sd Precinct." Pre-
cinct/parish records, 1730/31-1800. Bound with CR I (cf.
above ) •

PR II T . "Dedham South Parish Book of Records AD 1801
by Sam xx * H. Deane Price 2 Dol. 70 Cents." 1801-1873,
with parish orders, 1807-1848.

Bot

PR III - "Records." 1873-1895-

PROP I - Records of the Proprietors of the Meeting House,
1829-1860.

Miscellaneous records: Church Committee Records, 1879-
1893, 1893-1905.

1. The extraordinary act of incorporation referred to here
in the flyleaf title is reflected in the volumes cited
later as C Inc I and C Inc II.

455

NUKKEEKUMMEES Indian Congregational Church (see Dartmouth,
Nukkehkummees Indian Congregational Church).

OAK BLUFFS, Sanchacantacket Indian Church (C), extinct.

It would appear that this church, gathered in 1659*. was
the first Indian church gathered in Massachusetts. 2 Its
original location was northwest of Edgartown, an area now
lying in the township of Oak Bluffs.

In 1670, the Rev. Messrs. John Cotton, Jr. and John Eliot,
together with Gov. Thomas Mayhew, assisted the Indian con-
gregation in electing and installing native officers.
These included Hiacoomes as pastor, John Tackanash as
teacher, John Nohnoso and Joshua Momatchegin as ruling
elders, and Kestumin as deacon.

However, the Indians who lived on Chappaquiddick Island
just east of the Vineyard found the frequent channel
crossings hazardous, and in 1675* the Sanchacantacket
church was divided into two independent churches. Hiacoomees
and Joshua Momatchegin were assigned to Chappaquiddick;
John Tackanash (pastor), John Nohnoso (ruling elder) and
one Lazarus or Kokesap (deacon) remained at Sanchacantacket.
In 1683 because of Hiacoomes' growing feeble, the two
churches were reunited, but parted again after his death
in 1690, each to go its own separate way until becoming

1. Variously given as "Sanchekantacket" or "Sengekontaket. "

2. Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Company of 1649 and
its Missionary Enterprises," CSMP, XXXVIII (1947-1951) t
183, thinks the first Massachusetts Indian church was lo-
cated on Chappaquiddick Island (cf. EDGAKTOWN, Chappa-
quiddick Indian Church) and assigns it the 1659 date.
However, a careful reading of the letters written by John
Cotton, Jr. and Thomas Mayhew, Sr. ca. 1674 (MHSC, 1st
Ser. , I [1792, rep. 1806], Ch. ix) suggests that the
usually reliable Weis erred at this point, and that the
first gathered Indian church was indeed located at Sancha-
cantacket.

4-56

extinct early in the nineteenth century. The last notice
of the Sanchacantacket church is dated ca. 1806.
See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under BOURNE,
Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers:

Thomas Mayhew, Jr.
Gov. Thomas Mayhew

Peter Folger

John Cotton, Jr.

Hiacoomes

John Tackanash

John Mayhew

Japeth (Pamc)hannit

(ord.? Edgartown First
1642; d. 1657)
(Vineyard governor; sett.
Edgartown First 1658,
ministered to seven Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1681)

(assistant to Mayhew, Jr.
in Indian missions 16 54-
rem. 1663 to Nantucket;
became Baptist; d. 1690)
(invited Edgartown First
1664, possibly not legally
sett., but ministered
there and carried on In-
dian missions 1665; rem.
1667; d. 1699)
(Indian preacher, con-
verted by Thomas Mayhew, Jr.
1643; ord. pastor here
1670; sett, pastor Chappa-
quiddick 1675-ca. 1683;
d. 1690)

(Indian preacher, ord.
teacher here 1670; became
pastor 1675; ministered to
four other Indian praying
towns and churches;
d. 1684)

(sett. West Tisbury 1673,
associated with six Indian
praying towns and churches;

d. 1688/1689)
(Indian preacher, sett.
Gay Head Indian Congrega-
tional Church 1693; also
served here and Chilmark
[Nashuakemmuck] ; d. 1712)

1. Sometimes given as "Japeth Hannit, Jr."

457

Experience Mayhew

Job Peosin
Sowamog
Samuel Wiswall

p

Joash Pannos

Hosea Manhut

Zachariah May hew

(sett. Indian missionary 1694-,
ministered to nine Tn c\ i an
praying towns and churches;
d. 1758)

(Indian preacher 1698; d. 1723)
(Indian preacher 1712; d. 1716)
(ord. Edgartown First 1715 ,
some missionary work; d. 174-6)
(Indian preacher; ord- Gay Head
Indian Congregational Church
1716; d. 1720)
(Indian preacher 1720; also
active West Tisbury LChristian-
townj ; d. ca. 1724)
(ord. Chilmark 1767, associated
with six Indian praying towns
and churches; d. 1806)

Ruling elders: John Nohnoso

Joshua Momatchegin

John Shohkow'

Isaac Orapany^

(ord. 1670; d. 1676-
1683)

(ord. 1670; served as
ruling elder at Edgar-
town [ChappaauiddickJ
1675-ca. 1683; probably
ruling elder of reunited
church ca. 1683-1690;
elev. pastor Chappa-
ouiddick 1690; d. 1703)
(ruling elder 1683;
also associated with
West Tisbury LChris-
tiantown] ; d. 1690)
(ruling elder 1713;
also associated West
Tisbury LChristiantown] ;

d. 1717)

1. Sometimes called "Russel."

2. Sometimes given as "Panuos" or "Panneu."

3. Sometimes given as "tfummeecheeg. "

4. Sometimes called "Assaquanhut. "

5. Sometimes given as "Ompanit."

458

Kestumin

Lazarus p
Paul Holmes-Hole
David 3

Thomas Dockakonnit
Jonathan Amos

Deacons: Xestumin (ord. 1670)

>rd. 1675 ?; d. 1677)

,d. 1688)

.probably e. ca. 1683; also
associated witE Gay Head In-
dian Congregational Church:
d. 1698)

(probably e. 1698; d. 1703)
(e. deacon Chappaquiddick
1698, probably served both
there and here; e. pastor
Chappaquiddick 1703; also
associated with Gay Head In-
dian Congregational Church:
d. 1706)

Cprobably e. ca. 1706; Indian
preacher fromT712; also asso
ciated with Gay Head Indian
Congregational Church and
Praying Town; d. 1722)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

Abel Wauwompuhque

OAKHAM (C).

Originally known as Rutland West Ving, in 1759 this area
became a precinct, and in 1762, was incorporated as the
town of Oakham.

^flffsk Presbyterian Population for some years worshipped
with the Rutland Presbyterians (seceders from the ministry
of Hev. Thomas Frink), but on Aug. 28. 1?67 gathered a
Presbyterian church in Oakham.
Difficulties with the first minister saw the town voting

1. Sometimes called "Kokesap."

2. Sometimes called "Mashquattuhkooit. "

3. Sometimes called "Wuttinomanomin. "

459

(in the capacity of a society) to adopt Congregational
principles in 1772; the next year, the minister resigned.
Although there is no record of the old church's having been
dissolved, it was reorganized by act of ecclesiastical

council on June 23, 1773.

Tension between the liberal and orthodox wings of the
church saw a division early in the nineteenth century.
The pastor resigned his parish responsibilities in 1828,
but continued to minister to the orthodox (under the title
of "The Evangelical Congregational Society") as senior-
pastor until his death in 1842. The liberal element settled
no minister, although it met occasionally as a society. In
1829 the orthodox settled a junior pastor, and when he re-
signed because of ill health in 1832, provided a successor
whose ministry was so acceptable to the liberals that the
two parties were reunited, the original society being
assimilated into the younger organization.

Ministers: John Strickland

Daniel Tomlinson

(called 1766; ord. [Presby-
terian] 1768; dism. 1773;
d. 1823)

(ord. 1786; res. and dism.
1828; continued to minister
until d. 1842)

Ruling elders: although the church must have had such
officers during its Presbyterian phase, no record of that
period is extant.

(ca. 1767-1773)
(ca.

Deacons: James Dean

WMte (ca. 1767-1773)

Jesse Allen (e. 1773; d. 1816)

Jonathan Pitts (e. 1776; d. 1792)

Samuel Davis (e. 1793; d. 1817)

No records of the Presbyterian phase of the church's his-
tory survive; the extant records are owned by the church,
and deposited at the Town Hall.

CR I - Church Records, 1773-1860. Sketchy to 1816.

CR II - "Vol. II. Records of the Evangelical Congrega-
tional Church at Oakham, Mass. Organized June 23rd 1773."
1860-1919.

SR I - (Evangelical) Society Records, 1829-1855.
SR II - (Evangelical) Society Records, 1856-1888.

460

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors Rate Book, 184-2-
1860; (Evangelical) Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1829-
1883, 1882-1917.

See also Manual of the Congregational Churc h of Oakham,
Mass . 1862 . CWorceste"r. 1S6S7: H. B. Wright and B. 57
Harvey, The Settlement and Story of Oakham , Massachusetts
(New Haven, 194-7 J. '

OCCAWAN (or Oggawame or Okorwaw) Praying Town and Indian
Congregational Church (see Nantucket, Occawan Praying Town
and Indian Congregational Church).

0HK0NK3MME Praying Town and Indian Congregational Church
(see West Tisbury, Christiantown Praying Town and Indian
Congregational Church).

ORANGE, Church (see New Salem, North).

ORANGE, District and Society and Church (see North Orange)

461

ORLEANS, Federated (C).

The original church in the area was that gathered at Nauset
in Eastham in 1646. In 1718, a more commodious house of
worship was erected in southern Eastham (now Orleans), and
in the following year, the southern and northern parts of
the town were made into distinct precincts. The min ister
of the old church elected to serve the South Church in
Eastham, and it is with this church that we have to do.
In 1797, Orleans was made a town, and the church's name was
changed to the First Church in Orleans. Similarly, the
parish (organized in 1719) exchanged the title "South Con-
gregational Parish in Eastham" for "Congregational Parish
in Orleans."

In 1938, this church federated with a local Universalist
"body (gathered in 1833), and in 1939 took the name "Feder-
ated Church of Orleans.

Ministers;

John Mayo
Thomas Crosby

Samuel Treat
Samuel Osborn

Joseph Crocker
Jonathan Bascom

(sett. 1646; rem. 1655;

d. 1676)

(sett. 1655-1670 as "religious

teacher," probably unord. ;

d. 1702)

Cord. 1675; d. 1717)

(ord. 1718; remained 1719 with

South [Orleans] Precinct and

church; dism. 1738; d. 1774)

(ord. 1739; d. 1772)

(ord. 1772; d. 1807)

Ruling elders: there being no extant records antedating
1772, it is not known if the church employed ruling elders
before that time. None are recorded after 1772.

Deacons: John Paine 2 (m. 1695-1718)

1. In the absence of records, it is impossible to deter-
mine whether either church made a beginning de novo in
1719. But it is worth noting that the Falmouth church
records refer to the now-Orleans church as "The First or
South Church in Eastham" (FALMOUTH, CR I, 11).

2. See "Deacon John Paine ' s Journal," MD, VIII (1906).
180-184, 227-231, IX (1907), 49-51, 97-99, 136-140.

462

Thomas Crosby .. (d. 1731

Edward Knowlesj (d. 1740

Samuel Freeman (m. 1746

John Freeman 1 (m. 1750

Jonathan Higgins (m. 1762

Solomon Pepper (e. 1772

Joshua Doane (e« 1773

Elisha Smith (e. 1786

Abiel Cole (e. 1791

Richard Sparrow (e. 1795

Judah Ropes (e. 1795

; d. 1753)
-1755)

; d. 1792)

; d. 1786)

; d. 179D

; d. 1795)

; d. 1805)

; d. 1811)

; d. 1845)

As early as 1907 (see CR PUB), it was remarked that no
records antedating 1772 were extant; the surviving records
are owned and held by the church.

CR I -
1835-

"Records of the first Chh In Eastham. 1772- " 1772-

VS - "Bill of Mortality in the South Parish in Eastham
1772-1328."

CR II - "Records of The first Congregational Church in
Orleans, Mass. 1835- Commencing v/ith the ministry of the
Rev. S. Pratt." 1835-1870.

CR PUB - Stanley W. Smith, "Records of the First Church in
Orleans, Formerly the First Church in Eastham, Mass.," MD,
X (1908), 165-168, 230-233, XI (1909), 252-253, XII (1915),
151-152, XIII (1911), 90-94, 162-165, XIV (1912), 53-56,
123-127, 137-139, XV (1913), 13-20. The project of pub-
lishing these records was never completed.

CR III - "Am. Church Register. Cong. Church Orleans,
Mass." 1370-1894.

PROP I - "The Book of Records of the South Proprietors In
Eastham. July the 28th 1743." Proprietors records, 1744-1876

SR I - "Parish Records." Actually society records, 1826-1839.

SR II - "Congregational Society's Record Book Nov. 4, I839
to Feb. 27, 1864."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1870-
1895; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1839-1865, 1876-1882.

1. These deacons may have served here, but it is also pos-
sible that they remained with the Eastham church after the
division of 1719. See Pratt's and Freeman's writings, cited
below.

46?

The town holds two volumes of precinct records, 1731-1761
and 1765-1772.

See also Articles of Faith , Covenant , and Discipline of the
First C ongr e gat i onal Church , in Orleans , Mass . (Boston,
1831; rep. Harwich, 1888;; Enoch Pratt, A Comprehensive
History , Ecclesiastical and Civil , of Eastham , Wellfleet
and Orleans , County of Barnstable , Hass^ From 1644 to ~844
(.Yarmouth, 1844); Frederick Freeman, The History of ?ape
Cod (Boston, 1860, 1862), 2 vols.; Ruth L. Barnard, History
of The Congregational Church , Orleans , Mass . (Harwich, 194-7)

ORLEANS, Potanumaquut Indian Church (C), extinct.

Potanumaquut was listed by the Rev. Messrs. Rawson and Dan-
forth in 1698 as a praying town; when the church was
gathered there is unknown.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under BOURNE,
Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

Ministers: Richard Bourne

Samuel Treat

Thomas Coshaumag
Daniel Greenleaf

Joshua Ralph
Solomon Briant

Joseph Bourne

(ord. Mashpee 1670, associated
with fourteen Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1682)
(ord. Eastham 1675» associated
with six Indian praying towns
and churches; d. 1717)
(Indian preacher, ca. 1698)
(ord. Yarmouth First 1708;
associated with six Indian
praying towns and churches;
d. 1763)

(Indian preacher, 1719-1760)
(Indian preacher, also associ-
ated with Bourne [Herring
Pond ( s ) and Mannamit ] ,
Mashpee, Yarmouth [Matakees]
1720-d. 1775)

(ord. Mashpee 1729 » also min-
istered to seven Indian pray-
ing towns and churches; dism.
Mashpee 1742; d. 1767)

464

Joseph Crocker
Gideon Hawley

Joseph Br i ant

John Ralph

(ord. Orleans First 1739;
d. 1772)

(ord. 1754 to Indian mission
field; inst. Mashpee 1758,
associated with eleven Indian
praying towns and churches;

d. 1807)

(Indian preacher ord. here
1758, also associated with
Bourne [Pocasset] and Mashpee;

d. 1759)

(Indian preacher, also associ-
ated with Harwich [Satucket
Praying Town], 1762-1770)

As is the case with all of the Indian churches except
Natick, no records of this church are known to exist or
even to have been kept.

OTIS, Loudon, First (C), extinct.

According to Frederick L. Veis, 1 the first church at Loudon
in Otis was gathered in 1772, and disbanded by an ecclesi-
astical council in 1775*

Minister : George Throop 2 (ord. 1772; church disbanded

1775; served as chaplain during

Revolutionary War 1776)
There are no extant records of this church.

1. The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial Churches of New
England ^Lancaster, Mass. , 1956), pp. 204, 265-

2. Sometimes given as "Troop."

465

OTIS, Loudon, Second (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 2, 1779; never settled a
minister; and was absorbed into the present Congregational
Church of Otis in 1806.

Ministers: none.

Ruling elders: none,

Deacon: Jonathan Norton (m. 1795; d. 1830)

The extant records are owned and held by the present Congre
gational Church of Otis, which continued its record in the
same book.

CR I - "Records of the votes and proceedings of the Church
of Cnrist in Loudon." 1787-1837.

CR I COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Otis. Cong. Church." Copy
made in 1900. Owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum
(Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

OTIS, Bethlehem (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Sept. 14, 1794; never settled
a minister; and was absorbed into the present Congrega-
tional Church of Otis in 1806.

Mini s t er s : none .

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Seth Kingeley (e. 1800: d. 1831)
John Webster (e. 1800;

There are no extant records of this church.

466

[OTIS (C).]

In 1806, a society was organized under the name of the
United Congregational Society in Bethlehem and Loudon;
this body absorbed the survivors of the second Loudon
church and the Bethlehem church. In 1810, the present
Congregational Church of Otis was covenanted; it settled
its first minister in 1815.

This church claims unbroken succession from the second
Loudon church, and therefore all the records it owns and
holds are cited below. However, the records themselves
testify to a beginning de novo in 1810.

CR I - "Records of the votes and proceedings of the Church
of Christ in Loudon." 1787-1837.

CR I COPY - Rollin H. CooJce, "Otis. Cong. Church." Copy
made in 1900. Owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum
(Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

CR II - "Records of the Church in Otis.
1914.

Vol. 2nd." 1832-

SR I - Society Records, 1807-16Q9» with financial accounts,
1826-1829, 1837-1904.

3R II - Society Records, 1827-1911.

OXFORD, French Huguenot, extinct.

The French Huguenot church at Oxford was gathered in 1686
by some thirty refugee families who had migrated to America
after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. The
massacre of one family by Indians in 1696 prompted them to
abandon the town, most of them settling in Boston. A second
attempt at settling Oxford was made in 1699, but failed by
1713.

Ministers: Daniel Bondet

(ord. in the Church of England;
sett, here 1686; rem. to Boston
16?A; d. 1722)

467

James Labourie

(sett. 1699; rem. to New York
City 1704; d. 1734)

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the lack of records,
little is known of the lay officers of this church. A
petition of the Oxford Huguenots, asking the Boston con-
gregation for financial aid in 1700, is signed by "elders
of the French congregation" Peter Chardon and Rene Grignon.
Another elder, possibly, was Jean Millet.

It has long been assumed that any records of this church
were taken away by Rev. Bondet in 1694. See A. Holmes,
"Memoir of the French Protestants, A.D. 1686; with a Sketch
of the Entire History of the Protestants of France," MHSC,
3rd Ser., II (1830), 1-83; E. T. Fisher (trans.), Report
of a French Protestant Refugee in Boston [ 1687 - 1688 J
"^Brooklyn, 1868); George F. Daniels, The Huguenots in the
Nipmuck Country or Oxford Prior to 1713 (Boston, 1880);
Charles C. Smith, "The French Protestants in Boston," in
Justin Winsor (ed.), Memorial History of Boston (Boston,
1880-1881), II, pp. 249-268; Worthington C. Ford, "Ezechiel
Carre and the French Church in Boston," MHSP, LII (1919),
121-132; Percival Merritt, "The French Protestant Church
in Boston," CSMP, XXVI (1924-1926), 323-348, privately
reprinted (Cambridge, 1927)-

OXFORD (C).

The church was gathered on Jan. 18, 1720/21, and incorpo-
rated in 1887 • The Proprietors of the First Congrega-
tional Meetinghouse v/ere incorporated in I83O, and dis-
solved in 1887-

Ministers:

John Campbell
Joseph Bowman

Elias Dudley

Josiah Moulton

(ord. 1721 ; d. 1761)

(inst. 1764; aism. 1782;

d. 1806)

(ord. 1791; dism. 1799;

d. 1808)

(ord. 1805; dism. 1813;

d» 1827)

Ruling elders: none.

468

Deacons: John Town

(e.

1721;

d.

1740)

Daniel Hovey

£ e#

1729;

d.

1742)

Samuel Davis

? e *

1735;

d.

1760)

Jonathan Town

(e.

1739;

d.

177D

John Wilson

(e.

174-3;

d.

1778)

Thomas Davis

\v.

1760;

d.

1778)

Samuel Harris

1771;

d.

1798)

John Davis

(e.

1778;

d.

1800)

Ebenezer Humphrey

(e.

1798;

d.

1836)

John Dana

(e.

1798;

d.

1816)

The records are owned by the church, aid deposited in a
local bank.

CR I - "Records, First Congregational Church, Oxford, Mass
1721." 1721-1847.

CR II - "Records of the First Church in Oxford."
1887 » with vital statistics to 1957-

1848-

CR III - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Oxford, Mass." 1887-1929.

PROP I - "Records of the Proprietors of the First Congre-
gational Meetinghouse in Oxford." 1830-1887.

[PALMER, Thomdike (C), inactive.]

Traditionally, it is held that this church, originally
Presbyterian, was gathered in 1730 in what was then known
as "the Elbow Settlement." However, one document in the
State Archives reports that when the first minister was
ordained in 1734, "in sd,Plantation at the sd time there
was no gathered church."
The church continued under the jurisdiction of the

1. See J- H. Temple, History of the Town of Palmer , Massa -
chusetts , early known as The Elbow Tract : including Rec -
'lantation. District and Town , 1716 - 1889 . with

ords " oT the

a Genealogical Register (Springfield, 1389) , p.

469

Londonderry Presbytery, erecting a new meetinghouse in what
is now Palmer Center in 1798- Ca. 1811, the transition
from Presbyterian to Congregational polity was effected,
and in 1831, the First Parish was officially organized.
In 1847, the old (First) parish transferred its center of
activity to the village of Thomdike, and a Second Parish
and Church were created at Depot Village.

Due to the closing of the Thomdike Mills, the First Church
and Parish were unable to support a resident minister after
1925. In 1929, this church and parish incorporated as a
single entity, and soon after became an adjunct of the
Union Evangelical Church (gathered in 1870; at the village
of Three Rivers. It continues today as an inactive church,
reporting a half-dozen members.

Ministers: John Harvey

Robert Burns
Moses Baldwin

(sett. 1730; ord. 1734; dism,

17^3)

(ord. 1753; dism. 1757-1756)
(inst. 1761; dism. 1811;
d. 1813)

Ruling elders:

Seth Shaw
Samuel Shaw, Sr.
David Spear, Sr.
Robert Bratten, Sr.
James Smith
Joshua Shaw
Barnard McNitt
William McClanathan
Samuel Shaw, Sr.
David Spear, Jr.

1753)
1753)
1753)
1753)
1753)
1753)
and ord.
and ord.
and ord.
and ord.

1755)
1755)
1755)
1755)

Deacons : John Smith

John McMaster
Thomas King
Seth Shaw
Joshua Shaw
Gordon Sedgewick

1755-17840

1777-1786)

1778-1789)

1772-1773)

1798)

1801-1803)

There are no known records antedating the twentieth century,
a loss reported remarked by Temple, oj>. cit „ . pp. 6, 14-5?
in 1889-

See also Articles of Faith and Covenant, First Church,
Palmer (Palmer, 1875); History and Manual of the Second
Congregational Church and Society , of Palmer , Mass . 184-7-
1695 . Prepared by the Tastor and Clerk (Palmer, 1895);
Temole, op. cit. ; 0"TT. Allen, "^Historical Address Deliv-
ered ... at the Semi-Centennial of the Second Congregational

470

Church," The Palmer Journal . XXVIII, 1 (April 2, 1897),
1, 4; Elizabeth Miller, typescript, "Two Hundredth Anni-
versary, Congregational Church, First Church, Palmer
(Thorndike), Mass.," 1930, held by church clerk; Edward A
Reynolds, "Thorndike 's Old Home Festivities," The Palmer

Journal-Register . XCIX - 33 (Nov. 10, 1946), 277;

Allen F. Davis, typescript, "Two Hundred and Twenty-Five
Years of the First Congregational Churches," 1955, held
by church clerk.

PALMER'S RIVER Church (see Rehoboth, Church of 1721).

PARSONS, Vest Church and Parish (see West Newbury, Second)

PARTRIDGEFIELD, East Parish (see Peru).

PARTRIDGEFIELD, First Church (see Peru).

PARTRIDGEFIELD, West Church and Parish (see Hinsdale)

4-71

PAWTUCKET Congregational Church and Society (see Lowell)

PAXTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 3, 1767, and incorporated
in 1894. In the latter year, the First Parish (originally
incorporated in 1830) was dissolved.

Ministers;

Silas Bigelow (ord. 1767; d. 1769)
Alexander Thayer (ord. 1770; dism. 1782;

d. 1807)
John Foster (ord. 1785; dism. 1789;

d. 1832)
Daniel Grosvenor (inst. 1794; dism. 1802;

d. 18%)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons :

Oliver Witt
Ephraim Moore
Timothy Barrett
David Davis

Jonah Howe
Abel Brown
Nathan Swan

(e. 1767 ?; d. 1807)

(d. 1773)

(d. 1799)

(e. ?; reappointed 1793;

d. 1824)
e. 1785-1793; d. 1832)
,e. 1785-1793; d. 1824)

.e. ?; reappointed 1793;

d. 1841)

The records antedating 1871 could not he found, although
the Historical S^™rna-ry published in 1873 reported no rec-
ords for the years 1768-1793, but indicated the existence
of records for 1793-1871. These latter books have since
disappeared; the few records surviving are held by the
Town Clerk.

CE I - MISSING, Church Records, 1793-1871-

CR II - "Records of the First Congregational Church of
Paxton, Mass. Sept. 26, 1871." 1871-1893.

CR III - "Church Records, Paxton, Mass. 1894." 1894-1917

4?2

PR I - "Records of the first Parish in Paxton
1830." 1830-1876.

PR II - Parish Records, 1877-1894.

June 14th

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1864-
1894; Parish Committee Records, 1831-1893,

See also Historical Summary « Statement of Polity . By-Laws .
Confession of Faith , Covenant and Names of the members of
the Congregational Church , Paxton , Nasi". 1§75 (.Worcester,
1873.); b. Hamilton Hurd (ed.J» History of Worcester County ,
Massachusetts with Biographical sketches of MQny " "oT Tts
Pioneers and Prominent Men tPhIladelphia t 1889;, pp.~558-
584; One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Town of
Paxton, Massachusetts , Celebrated June thirtieth 1915
(.Worcester, 1917)-

PAXTON, Second (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1785, by some twenty persons
who objected to the settlement of John Foster over the
First Church and Parish. In 1793, on the advice of a
mutually-invited ecclesiastical council, the two churches
were reunited as the First Church.

No records of the Second Church are known to exist. See
D. Hamilton Hurd (ed.), History of Worcester County % Massa -
chusetts with Biographical sketches of Many~ of Its Pioneers
and Prominent Men (.Philadelphia, 188T7, pp. 5S8 r 554.

PSABODY, South (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 23, 1713 as the Third
Church in Salem. It was located in the Middle Precinct in
Salem, previously incorporated in 1710.

4-73

In 1752 the area was ceded to the town of Danvers. The
parochial organization was reorganized as the South Parish
in Danvers, and the church took the name of the Second
(South) Parish Church in Danvers. The parish was dissolved
in 1793, being replaced by the Proprietors of the South
Meeting House in the South Precinct of Danvers.
In 1868 the precinct became the town of Peabody, and the
church took the title of South Church in Peabody, sometimes
called "The Old South Church."

Ministers:

Benjamin Prescott (ord. 1713; dism. 1756;

d. 1777)
Nathan Holt ford. 1759; d. 1792)
Samuel Mead (ord. 1794- ; dism. 1803;

d. 1818)
Samuel Walker (ord. 1805; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons :

Abraham Pierce
Samuel Cutler
David Foster
Cornelius Cutler
Malachi Pelton
Benjamin Sawyer
Nathan Proctor
Joseph Seccomb
Joseph Poor
John Shillaber

(e. 1713)

e. 1713)

e. 1732)

e. 1732; m. 1758)

e. 174-3; ft. 1758)

e. 1761)

e. 1775; ft. 1796

e. 1781; m. 1803

e. 1796; m. 1805

(e. 1796; rem. and dism. 1800)

There are no extant church records antedating 1793. The
surviving records are owned by the church, and deposited
in the Peabody Institute, Peabody.

VS I - Henry Wheatland, "Baptisms by Rev. Benjamin Prescott
of Salem, Middle Precinct; Now South Danvers," EIHC, VI
(1864), 258-268. 1714-1756.

VS II - Henry Wheatland, "Baptisms by Rev. Messrs. Prescott
and Holt, of Salem, Middle Precinct, (now South Danvers),"
EIHC, VII (1865), 4-0-48. 1726-1772.

VS III - Henry Wheatland, "Baptisms by Rev. Holt of Salem,
Middle Precinct, - now South Danvers," EIHC, VII (1865),
95-96, 14-0-144, 146-150. 1772-1790.

CR I - "Record Book Belonging to the south Chh in Danvers."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Second chh in Danvers containing

474

all the doings of this chh from the year 1793 - Beginning
with their doings which respect the settlement of Mr Samuel
Mead over this chh — .") 1793-1841.

CR II - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the
Second Congregational Church in Danvers. From May 25th.
1840 to Oct. 24 187L")

CR III - "South Church Records, Peabody. " 1872-1900.
PR I - "1711 to 1739." Parish records, 1710-1739-

PR II - "1738 to 1757." (Flyleaf: "A Book of Records,
Belonging to the Middle Parish in Salem anno Dom 1738.
The 2d Book in the parish since the meeting house be
raysed.") 1739-1758.

PR III - "Parish Book y e 3rd 1757 to 1778." (Flyleaf:
"The 3rd Book A Book of Records Belonging to the South
Parish in Danvers — Began Deer, y 12th 1757 by Samll
King P Clerk.") 1757-1779.

PR IV - "South Parish Danvers 1779 to 1791."

PR V - "South Parish Danvers 1791 to 1796." 1791-1797.

PROP I - "Book of Records of the Proprietors of the South
meetinghouse Danvers Began — December 11th 1793 1793 to
1813."

PROP II - "Records Proprietors of South Meeting House
Danvers. " 1813-1844.

PROP III - "Records. Proprietor's of South Meeting House
Danvers . " 1845-1886 .

PROP IV - "Records Proprietors of South Meeting House
Peabody. " 1886-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Proprietors Treasurer's Accounts,
1797-1839, 1839-1856; Pew Deeds, 1844-1872.

See also The Articles of Faith and Covenant of The South
Church , Danvers ; with a List of the Members "CSalem, 1845) ;
The Articles of Faith and Covenant of The South Church ,
5outh~T)anyers : with a List of the Heiabers (Salem, 1859);
The Articles of Faith anT17ovenant of The South Church,
Peabody : with a List of the Members (Boston, 1873 and

475

1885); Bessie R. Buxton, typescript, "An Excommunication
Trial in the South Church," 1950, owned and held by Essex
Institute, Salem; Bessie R. Buxton, "History of the South
Church, Peabody, Formerly in the Middle Precinct of Salem,
Later Known as the South Parish of Danvers." EIHC, JjXXXVII
(1951;, ^1-64, 178-207, 541-572, DGCCVTII (195277 167-198,
and rep- under the title, History of the First Hundred
Years of the South Church peabody , Mass . QPeabody, 1951);
anonymous typescript^ "A Brief History of the South Con-
gregational Church, Peabody Square, Peabody, Massachusetts,"
owned and held by the Congregational Library, Boston.

[PELHAK (C).]

The church was gathered as a Presbyterian church between 1737
and 1744; its (First) parish was organized in 1786. Early in
the 1820's, the minister declared for Congregationalism, and
by 1837 the church had abandoned Presbyterianism. In that
latter year, the church was reorganized as the Evangelical
Congregational Church. The parish became the Congregational
Society by virtue of reorganization in 1862.
The present United Church of Pelham is descended from the old
town church, having passed through two successive federations
in 1936 and 1959.

Ministers: Robert Abercrombie

Richard Crouch Graham
Nathaniel Merrill

Thomas F. Oliver 2

(ord. 1744; dism. 1755;
d. 1780)

Cord. 1763; d. 177D
(inst. 1775; rem. 1781-

1783; *. 1791)

(ord. 1782 ?; dism. and

rem. n.d. ; d. 1797)

1. A short-lived (1822-1827) Calvinistic Church was gathered
in protest against the minister's conversion to Congrega-
tionalism.

2. The oldest evidence indicates that these are the correct
dates for Rev. Oliver (Harvard, Class of 1775)-

However, Parmenter, op_. cit . , claims that the Oliver in
the case was William Oliver, ord. 1793? dism. 1804. Earlier,
in History of the Connecticut Valley in Massachusetts , with
Illustrations and Biographic al~"5ketches of Some of Its Promi-
nent Men and Pioneers (Philadelphia, 18737 , TT~55 z f , ~tEe list
of ministers cited as Merrill's successor one Andrew Oliver,
called in 1792, dism. 1804, and claimed his successor, Elijah
Brainard, was ord. 1805 and dism. 1811. Listing of Dartmouth
College Alumni, however, do not place Brainard at Pelham
until about 1811 (he d. 1828).

4-76

Billing elders and deacons: due to the lack of any records
antedating the twentieth century, little is known of this
church's lay officers. Parish records extant in 1898 men-
tioned Deacons Ebenezer Gray and Nathaniel Sampson in 1799*
and a Beacon Thompson in 1806.

C. 0. Parmenter, History of Pelham , Mass . from 1738 to 1898
including the Early History of Prescott (Amherst, 18*35),
remarked the loss of all records for the Presbyterian per-
iod, and the destruction by fire in 1890 of the church's
nineteenth century records.

PELHAM, East Church and Parish (see Prescott).

PHTiHAM, Second Church and Parish (see Prescott).

PSIIBROKE, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Oct. 22, 1712, and the First
Parish or Precinct organized in the same year. The Trus-
tees of the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1816.

Ministers:

Daniel Lewis
Thomas Smith
Kilborn Whitman

James Hawley
Morrill Allen

Cord. 1712; d. 1753)
(inst. 1754; d. 1788)
Cord. 1787; dism. 1796;
d. 1835)

Cord. 1798; d. 1800)
(ord. 1801; res. 1841)

Ruling elders: none.

477

Deacons: Joseph Stockbridge
Joseph Ford
Jacob Mitchell
Josiah Smith
Joseph Stockbridge, Jr
Samuel Jacobs
Jeremiah Hall
Isaac Hatch
Josiah Smith
Gideon T. White
David Hall

(e. 1712-1713; m. 1726)

(e. 1712-1713 ?)

m. 1720)

>. 1740) t

m. 1753-17^)" L

P i. 1753-1764)

e. 1773; res, 1795)

e. 1773; m. 1777)

e. 1773; res. 1795)

e. 1795; n. 1800)

e. 1795)

The records are held by the Town Clerk, unless otherwise
noted.

CR I - "Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Church Records begun
by the Revd Daniel Lewis first Pastor, of the first Church
in Pembroke.") Records and vital statistics, 1711-1714- ;
lacuna, 1714-1754; vital statistics and scattered votes,
1754.-1796; vital statistics and ministers' memoranda, 1796-

1899.

vs I - "A List of Communicants." 1712-1755.

VS II - Baptisms, 1735-174-2.

VS PUB - H. H. Edes, "Marriages Solemnized in Pembroke,
Mass., by the Rev. Thomas Smith, 1755-1787," NEHGR , XXXI
(1877), 68-75. Copied from a private journal owned by
Smith's descendents.

PR I - Precinct Records, 1746-1764.

PR II - "Precinct Book of Records, Began in y Year AD 1764
in October." 1764-1805.

PR III - "Book of Records for the first precinct in Pem-
broke." Precinct /parish records, 1806-1887.

PR IV - "First Parish in Pembroke. June 25, 1887." 1887-
1912.

Miscellaneous records: Precinct/Parish Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1811-1887.

1. Also mentioned in the Parish Records for 1746ff. as a
Hanover deacon. See HANOVER, First, footnote 1.

4-78

See also Morrill Allen, Public Services in Commemoration
of the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Settlement of Rev .
horrill Allen of the First Church and Society "Pembroke,
December 9th, I55r Tn.p.« 1851 J; Morrill Allen, A Dis"course
Delivered before the Unitarian Church and Society in Pern -
broke, Sunday , June 15, 1862 TPlymouth. 1862 J; Henry latch-
field, The First Parish in Pembroke , 1708 - 1908 (Pembroke,
1908); £he Town of^ Pembroke , 21 March 1712^l5T2 - The First
or East Parish , I?12 - The Second or West Parish , 1756"
Since 1820 , the Town of " Hanson (Pembroke. 1912).

PEMBROKE, East Parish (see Pembroke, First).

PEMBROKE, Second Church and Precinct (see Hanson)

PH-IBROKE, West Parish (see Hanson).

PEPPER ELL , Community Church (U/C).

The church was gathered on Jan. 29, 1746/47; with the in-
corporation of the parish in 1851, it became known as the
Church of the First Parish. At the same time, the orthodox
withdrew, and formed their own church and society.

479

In 1912, the Unitarian and Congregational bodies entered
into a federation with a local Methodist church. However,
the Methodists did not participate in the organic fusion
of the two older churches, which took place in 1919 , and
from which the present Community Church derives.

Ministers: Joseph Emerson Cord. 1746/47; d. 1775)
John Bullard (ord. 1779; d. 1821)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jeremiah Lawrence
John Spof f ord
Peleg Lawrence
Josiah Fisk
Thomas Laughton
David Blood
Daniel Fisk
Edmund Parker
Nathaniel Hutchinson
Nathaniel La kin
Jonas Parker
Edmund Jewett

e. 1748;

e. 1748;

e. 1754;

e. 1754)

e. 1759)

(e. 1762;

(e. 1773;
1773;
1789;
1789;
1805)
1805)

d.
d.
d.

m.
m.
d.
m.

m.

1759)
1754)

1757)

1780)
1798)

1813)
1802)
1802)

The records are owned and held "by the church.

CR I - "Copy of Records of the Church of Christ in Pepper-
ell. Vol. 1st." Copy of church records, 1747-1822.

CR II - "Records of the Church of Christ in Pepperell, Ms.
Vol. II. Oct. 1822." 1822-1839.

CR III - "Records of the Church of Christ in Pepperell, Ms
Vol. III. Jan. 1840." 1840-1861.

CR IV - "Records of the Church of Christ in Pepperell,
Mass. Vol. IV." 1862-1871-

CR V - MISSING, Church Records, 1871-1917. 1

Miscellaneous records: the Community Church also holds
most of the records of the Evangelical Congregational

1. The original CR I and CR V were lost in the fire that
destroyed the First Parish Church building in 1917- For-
tunately, a copy of CR I had been made prior to the fire,
and was stored elsewhere, along with CR II, CR III and
CR IV.

wo

Church, 1831-1938 (lacuna, 1860-1883); and the records of
the three-church federation of 1912-1918.

See also David Andrews, The Sure and Only Foundation, with
Historical Notices . A Centermi al Discourse , Delivered
before the Church of Christ and Second Parish , in Pepperell ,
Mass . , January 29% 184? (.Boston, 184-7); Charles~5abbidge t
The Claims of Congregational Churches * A Centennial Ad -
dress: Being a Plea in Vindication of the Rights of the
First Church of Christ in Pepperell .~ Hass . Delivered
Feb. 97 "IP7 Boston, 1847).

PEQUOIAG (Perqeuage), First Church (see Athol).

PERU (C).

The church was gathered in June of 1770 as the Church in
Partridgefield. In 1795 the West Parish of Partridgefield
(eventually the town of Hinsdale) was set off, but not
until 1803 was the East Parish organized to support the
1770 church.

In 1806 the East Parish became the town of Peru, and the
names of parish and church were duly changed to the First
in Peru.

Ministers: Stephen Tracy (ord. 1772; dism. 1776; d. 1822)
John Leland (ord. 1783; dism. 1815; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Stephen Fisk
Daniel Kinney
Ebenezer Pierce
Joseph Clark ,
Joseph Nash ?

e. 1783; d. 1803)
m. 1784-1797)

1. Nash is not mentioned in the church records, but is
mentioned as a deacon in all the secondary sources.

481

Zachariah Watkins (e. 1797
Rufus Butts Ce. 1803
Allen Paine Ce. 1803

The originals of
since 1902.

CR I and CR II have dropped from sight

CR I & CR II COPY COOKE - Rollin H. Cooke, "Partridgefield
(Peru) Cong. Church." Copy made in 1901-1902 of church
records, 1783-1810 (CR I) and 1811-1901 (CR II). Owned
and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection),
Pittsfield.

CR I & CR II COPY HOSMER - James Hosmer, copy of. Church
Records, 1783-1901. Owned and held by the Hinsdale Public
Library, Hinsdale.

See also History of The County of Berkshire , Massachusetts;
in Two Parts (PitisfTeld, 1829); Articles of Faith . an3~
Form of Covenant , Adopted by the Church inTeru , Together
with the Catalogue of Members , from 1770 to 1868 (Pitts-
7IeTd'7T868 ) : E. L. "Clark (ed. )TT5e BuTldinp; and Dedica -
tion of the Third Meeting House, of The Congregational
ChurcnT Peru ," " Mass . (Pittsfield, 339777

PETERSHAM, First Congregational Parish (U).

The church was gathered in December of 1738, the same year
in which the parish was organized.

Ministers: Aaron Whitney

Solomon Reed
Festus Foster

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Isaac Ward

Thomas Adams
David Sanderson

(ord. 1738; dism. 177^ for Tory
sympathies but continued preach-
ing at his house until 1777;

d. 1779)

(ord. 1780; dism. 1800; d. 1808)

(ord. 1802; dism. 1817; <*• 1846)

1738; dism. 1758)
1738; d. ca. 1750
1750; d. ca. 1800

462

Daniel Spooner
William Willard
Asa Howe
Seth Hapgood
Amos Stone
Josiah Willard
Joel Godard

1750.

1771

1791

1791

1800)

1800)

1802)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited in the
Historical Building, Petersham.

OR I - Church Records, 1733-1856.

CR I COPY - "Church Records Petersham, Massachusetts,
1733-1856." Copy made in 1904 by Mabel A. Coolidge.

See D. Hamilton Hurd (ed.), History of Worcester County «
Massachusetts with Biographical Sketches of Ma5y of Its

Pioneers and Prominent Men CPhiladelphia, 1889); The~STrst
Church in Petersham The First Congre Rational Parish ( Uni -
tarian ) ~Founded 1?58 Centenary~of the Installation of the
Reverend Luther willson June twenty-third, 1919 (n.p. *~
T^I^ * *"

PHILLIPSTON (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 16, 1785 in the newly-
organized West Parish of Templeton, and was briefly known
as the Second Church in Templeton. In 1786, the area was
made the town of Gerry, and church and parish bore that
name until 1814, when the residents were successful in
petitioning the legislature to change the town's name to
Phillipston. The parish was discontinued in 1902.

Ministers: Ebenezer Tucker (ord. 1788; dism. 1799;

d. 1848)
Ezekiel L. Bascom (ord. 1800; dism. 1820;

d. 1841)

1. The honor paid Slbridge Gerry, the creator of "gerry-
mandering," was thus rescinded by the townsfolk who found
his Republican politics distasteful.

483

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon Charles Baker (e. Templeton 1763; e.

Phillipston 1788; d. 1813)
Thaddeus Brown (e. 1788; d. 1802)
Peirson Richardson Ce. 1803; res. 1826)
Joseph Knowlton (e. 1803; res. 1831)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1785-1822.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1822-1862.

CR III - "Church Records." 1862-1941.

PR I - "Record's of the First Parish, Phillipston." 1830-
1880.

PR II - Parish Records, 1881-1902.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors Rate Book, 1830-
1876.

See also Articles of Faith and Covenant of the Congrega-
tional Church, in Phillipston , Mass. , with Historical
Sketch . (Athol Depot, Mass., 1871 ); S. B. Andrews, His-
torical Address , with a Short Account of the Celebration
of the Centenni al Anniversary of the Organization of The
TonpreKational Church of Phillipston . Mass . ( Athol. 1886);
William G. Lord/ Historical Address Delivered by William G.
Lord at the Celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the
Incorporation of the Town of Phillipston , Massachusetts ,
Tuesday . August l5th , ~I^6" TAthol, 1936 J.

PITTSFIELD, First (C).

The church was gathered on Feb. 7, 1764, taking the name
"First Church" in 1810, and "United Congregational Church"
in 1817- Since that time, the usage "First Church" has
been resumed. The Trustees of the Ministerial Fund re-
ceived incorporation in 1822, and the First Parish was
organized in 1795*

484

Minister: Thomas Allen (ord. 1764; d. 1810)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : Deacon Stephen Crowfoot
James Easton
Josiah Wright
Matthew Barber
Joseph Clarke
James Hubbard
James Brattle
Daniel Chapman

,d. 1772)

e. 1765; m. 1769)

e. 1765; m. 1784)

e. 1784: m. 1794)

e. 1784)

e. 1795; d. 1813)

e. 1795)

e. 1803; withdrew to
join Union Congrega-
tional Church of Pitts-
field 1810)*

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Record Book and Register, Feb. 7, 1?64 to
Nov. 1817."

CR II - "Church Record Book and Register (to Apr. 1824).
Nov. 25, 1817 to Apr. 1864. Lacuna, 1864-1872.

VS I - "Churcn Register, Apr. x5, 1824- to Feb. 16, 1842."
Vital statistics only.

CR I, CR II, VS I COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Pittsfield,
Mass. Church and Other Records from Manuscripts Copied

1. Formerly a deacon at Belchertown, Mass., according to
Proceedings in Commemoration of the Organization in Pitts -
field, February 7. 1764 , oiTthe First Church of Christ .
February 7. 18&9 (PittsfieTd7T889) ; however, the critical
volumes of Belchertown records are missi
records make no mention of Crowfoot -

wever,

sing, and the extant

2, The Union Congregational Church was organized by
seceders from the First Church in 1808-1809; it reunited
with the First Church in 1817, briefly taking the name
"United Congregational Church." See William Allen, An
Account of the Separation in the Church and Town of Pitts-
field, with Remarks on Some Ecclesiastical Proceedings .
which Seem to have Violated the Principles of the Congrega -
tional and Independent Churches of New-Sngland~TPittsHeid,
1809).

465

by Rollin Hillyer Cooke." Copy made ca. 1900, two volumes.
Owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collec-
tion), Pittsfield.

VS II - "Church Register, Feb. 16, 184-2 to Men. 1873."
Vital statistics only.

CR III - "Record Book, First Church of Christ in Pitts-
field, Mass. Number 4-." 1872-1927-

VS III - "Church Register, March 1873 to Nov. 1881.
statistics only.

Vital

VS IV - "Church Register. Records of the First Cong'l
Church. Pittsfield, Mass. April 1, 1881 to Jan. 1, 1899."
Vital statistics only.

VS V - "Church Register." Vital statistics only, 1890-194-0

VS VI - "1899-194-0. 7." Vital statistics only.

PR I - MISSING, Parish Records, 1764--1868. 2

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1868-1900.

PLAINFIELD (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 31, 1786, and the First
Parish and Religious Society organized in 1838.

Minister: Moses Hallock (ord. 1792; d. 1837)

1. The church officers in numbering the record books have
assigned Arabic numerals as follows: CR I = 1, CR II = 2,
VS I = 3, CR III = 4-, etc.

2. The first volume of parish records was destroyed by
fire in 1868. See Thomas Colt, MS, "History of the First
Congregational Parish - From Its Organization in 1764- to
March, 1868 when Original Records Were Destroyed by Fire,"
owned and held by the church.

436

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons :

Lt. John Packard
Capt. James Richards
Joseph. Beals

e. 1792; d. 1807)
e. 1792; d. 1842)
e. 1803; d. 1813)

The records are held by the Town Clerk.

CR I - "Earliest Church Records. Vol. I."
with vital statistics to 1836.

1786-1830,

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church, Plainfield,
Mass." 1830-1841. ±

See also Jacob Porter, Topographical Description and His -
torical Sketch of Plainfield, in Hampshire County » Massa -
chusetts , Hay, 1834 (Greenfield, Mass., 1834), and The
ConfessTon of Paith , Covenant, and List of Members , of the
Congregational Church in Plainfield , Mass • (Northamp to n ,

PLANTATION NO. 4, Church (see Becket).

PLANTATION NO. 7, Church (see Hawley, First, Charlemont)

1. No records post-dating 1841 have thus far been found.

467

PLYMOUTH, First Parish (U).

The probable date of this church's covenanting is early
in 1606/07, the place being Scrooby, England. Its members'
migration, first to Amsterdam, thence to Leyden, and the
subsequent voyage of the Pilgrim contingent to the New
World requires to rehearsal here.

As far as can be determined, no new act of covenanting was
undertaken after the Pilgrims' arrival at New Plymouth. In-
stead, it was agreed that the Leyden and Plymouth congrega-
tions would each constitute a complete church, independent
of one another . Therefore, the American history of the Pil-
grim church can be said to have begun on Dec. 16, 1620
(O.S.), the day on which the Mayflower's passengers disem-
barked at Plymouth. l

The several divisions of the town into precincts and the
gathering of later churches explains the various names
given to the parent church and its associated precinct/
parish.^ In 1717, a North Precinct was set off, and a
church gathered there in 1720; in 1726, the area became the
town of Kingston. Meanwhile, the area containing the par-
ent church took the title "South Precinct," and in 1723
held its first precinct meeting. When Kingston became a
separate town, however, the "South Precinct" changed its
own designation to "North Precinct."

A second church was gathered at Manomet in 1738, but its
associated precinct (called "the Second" or "Manomet Ponds")
was not fully incorporated until 1810.
In 1744-, Old Light dissidents seceded from the parent

1. Once the New England experiment got under way, a third
factor came to take its place beside matter and form as
elements requisite for the constituting of a particular
church. While not so stated explicitly, location was con-
sidered so important that the church at Scituate-3arns table
(see BA3N3TABLS, West) took its relocation in the New Vorld
to be a beginning de novo , even though its members here
were some of the same folk who had joined in church estate
at Southwark, England, in 1616. Similarly, the church begun
at Chelmsford in 1655 was there constituted de novo , even
though most of its members v/ere the covenanted members of a
church gathered a few years earlier at Venhara.

2. While not critical in the sequence of events described
here, it should be noted that in 1695 a West Precinct (later
Plympton) was set off, and a church gathered there some three
years later.

4S8

church., gathered a Third Church and apparently organized

a Third Precinct. This Separate church rejoined the parent

body in 1783* and the year following, the two precincts

were united as the First Precinct.

A more amicable separation took place in 1801, the new

church taking the abandoned title of "Third Church," and

its prudential body (organized the following year) becoming

known as the "Third Society."

The church of 1620 continues today, the oldest of the

Pilgrim-Puritan churches on this continent. The Trustees

of its Puller Ministerial Fund received incorporation in

1835.

Ministers: William Brewster'

Ralph Smith
John Rayner

4

John Cotton, Jr.
Ephraim Little

(e. ruling elder at Leyden

ca. 1610; ruling elder at

Plymouth 1620-d. 164-3; acting

minister at Plymouth 1620-

1629, at Duxbury 1632-1637)

(ord. 1629; res. 1634--1637;

d. 1660/61)

(inst. 1636; res. and rem.

1654- ; d. 1669)

(ord. 1669; dism. 1697;

d. 1699)

(ord. 1699; d. 1723)

1. In 1852, the names were changed to "The Church and
Society of the Pilgrimage."

2. The infamous John Lyford preached at Plymouth in 1624-
1625, out was banished as "an enemy of the plantation."

In 1628, a young man named Rogers appeared as a candidate,
but was shipped back to England, being judged "Crased in
his braine."

3. During the years 1631-1634- , Smith was assisted by Rev.
Roger Williams, who next served at Salem. John Norton
served as assistant in 1635-1636, before settling at
Ipswich. Neither assistant appears to have been settled
at Plymouth.

4. The church attempted to secure as teacher to Rayner 1 s
pastor, Rev. Charles Chauncy, who preached at Plymouth
1638-1640, and then settled at Scituate. Apparently,
Chauncy was never settled at Plymouth. During the years
1654—1669, the church relied on the ministrations of ruling
elder Thomas Cushman and the supply preaching of James
Williams and William Brinsmead.

489

Nathaniel Leonard

Chandler Robbins, D.D.
James Kendall, D.D.

(ord. 1724; res. 1757;

dism. 1760; d. 1761)

(ord. 1760; d. 1799)

(ord. 1800; d. 1859)

Ruling elders:

William Brewster

2

Thomas Cushman

Deacon Thomas Faunce

Isaac Cushman

Deacons: John Carver

Samuel Fuller

Richard Nasterson
Thomas Blossom
John Doane
William Paddy
John Cook

John Dunham
Robert Phiimey
lit. Ephraim Norton
Thomas Faunce

George Norton

(e. at Leyden ca.
1610; d. 1643)
(e. 1649; d. 1691 )
(nom. 1694; proba-
tioner; refused 1695;
re-e. and ord. 1699;
d. 1745/46)
(nom. 1694; proba-
tioner until rem. to
Plympton ministry
1695; d. 1732)

(e. at Leyden ca. 1610;

d. 1621)

(e. at Leyden ca. 1610;

d. 1633)

(e. ca. 1629; d. 1633)

(e. ca. 1629; d. 1633)

(e. T533; d. 1686 ?)

(e. 1634-1636; d. 1658)

(e. post-1636; excom. ca .

1654-1676; d. 1695)
e. post-1636; d. 1669)
e. and ord. 1669; d. 1687/88)
e. and ord. 1669; d. 1693)
e. 1686; elev. to ruling

elder 1699; d. 174-5/46)

(e. and ord. 1694-; d. 1727)

1. See Ashbel Steele, Chief of the Pilgrims : or The Life
and Time of William Brewster "^Philadelphia, 18577; Henry M.
Dexter, "TKe True Date of the Birth and Death of Elder
Brewster," NEHGR, XVIII (1864), 18-20; Lyman D. Brewster,
"William Brewster, His True Position in Our Colonial History,"
MD, IV (1902), 100-109. See also Increase N. Tarbox, "Rul-
ing Elders in the Early New-England Churches," C^, XIV -

New Ser. IV (1872), 401-416.

2. See George E. Bowman, "Elder Thomas Cushman 1 s Will and
Inventory, and the Records of His Death," ND, IV (1902), 37-
42.

490

Nathaniel Atwood"
Thomas Clark
John Poster-,
John Atwood
Haviland Torrey
Thomas Clark
Thomas Foster
Joseph Bartlett
John Torrey
William Crombie
Jonathan Pi man
Ephraim Spooner
John Bishop

e. and

e. and

e. 1716

e. 1716

e. and

e. 1728

e. 174-5

e. 174-5

e. 1754

e. 1777

e. 1784

e. 1784

e. 1797
Plymouth

ord. 1694; m. 1724)

ord. 1694: d. 1727)

; d. 1741)

; d. 1754)

ord. 1728: d. 1750)

; d. 1728)

; d. 1777

; d. 1783

; d. 1776

; d. 1814

; d. 1797
; d. 1818)
; res. and dism. to
Third 1801; d. 18 JO)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at Pil-
grim Hall, Plymouth.

CR I - "Plymouth First Church Records. First Book The
Lord our God be with us as he was with our Fathers." 1620-
1732.

CR II - Church Records, 1? 32-1799.

CR III - "Plymouth, Church Records Vol: III. Began Jany
1799." 1799-1859.^

CR PUB BOWMAN - George E. Bowman, "Plymouth First Church
Records," MD, IV (1902), 212-217, V (1903), 214-217, VIII
(1906), 215^217, XII (1910), 26-28, XIII (1911), 72-75,
152-158, XIV (1912), 101-106, 188-192, XV (1913), 21-23,
223-227, XVI (1914), 53-57, project aborted. The parts
published by Bowman cover 1667-1699-

CR PUB I & CR PUB II - "Plymouth Church Records, 1620-1859,"
CSHP . XXII & XXIII (1920 & 1923). Published in cooperation

1. Sometimes given as "Wood."

2. See "Deacon John Foster's Will," MD, XXIV (1922), 24-
26.

3. In preparation for the published version of CR I, CR II
and CR III, photostats were made of all three volumes. One
such copy is held by Pilgrim Hall, another by the Massachu-
setts Historical Society, Boston, and a third by the
Colonial Society of Massachusetts, Boston.

491

with the New England Society of New York, which^issued the
same two volumes at New York in the same years.

PR I - "Precinct Book 1719-1815." (Flyleaf: "The South
Precinct Book This Book Belongeth To The South Precinct
in The Township of Plimouth- January y 26 Ann , 1722. Now
the North Precinct Book 1734-. But now the first Precinct
Book. 1743/V") 1723-1813.

PR II - "Plymouth. First Precinct
parish records, 1814-1891.

PR III - "Plymouth First Precinct
records, 1891-1929.

2nd Book." Precinct/

Third Book." Parish.

Miscellaneous records: Notebook of ruling elder Thomas
Faunce; Precinct/Parish Treasurer 1 s Accounts, 1797-1853;
Precinct/Parish Committee Records, 1813-1857; Accounts of
Fuller Ministerial Fund, 1853-1877 , 1879-1915-

PLYMOUTH, Manomet (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 8, 1738 as the Second
Church of Plymouth, in the area known as Monument or
Manomet Ponds. The precinct was not fully incorporated
until 1810; it eventually "became the parish, and was dis-
solved at the time of the church's incorporation in 1930.

Ministers:

Jonathan Ellis
Elijah Packard
Ivory Hovey
Seth Stetson

(ord. 1738; dism. 174-9; d. 1785)
(ord. 1753; dism. 1757; d. 1766)
Cinst. 1770; d. 1803)
Cord. 1804; dism. 1819)

Ruling elders: none

1. So complete is this published version of the records,
that the present writer chose to use it (rather than the
original hooks) throughout this thesis. Pp. 3-282 of the
published version comprises CR I, pp. 285-529 publishes
CR II, and pp. 533-719 reproduces CR III.

492

Deacons: John Blackmer ?
Elisha Holmes
Thomas Harlow
Robert Harlow
John Torrey
Nathaniel Warren
Branch Blackmer
Abner Bartlett

e. 1739; eta. 1770)

e. 1740; d. 1746/47)

e. 1749; d. 1770)

m. 1766)

m. 1766; d. 1767)

,e. 1787; m. 1799)

.m. 1799)

There are no extant church records antedating 1841. The
extant records are owned by the church, and deposited at
Pilgrim Hall, Plymouth.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1738-1841.

OR II - "General History and Business Transactions of the
Second Church in Plymouth." 1841-1930.

PR I COPY - Copy of Monument Ponds Precinct Records, made
in 1841 by Nathaniel Clark. 1732-1795.

PR II - Precinct/Parish Records, 1796-1868.

PR III - MISSING, Parish Records, 1868-1902.

See also The Articles of Faith and Covenant of the Second
Church in Plymouth . (Boston, 1842); HaiK AdadourTan. Pgo -""
ceedings of the "Sne Hundred and Sixtieth Anniversary Cele -
bration of the Second Congregational Church in PlymoutT
I Manomet T ^ass . HeTcT on Nov. 9, 1898 (Plymouth,
Katherine Freeland. Second Church in Plymouth , Congrega -
tional in Manomet (Plymouth, 1957 )•

PLYMOUTH, Third (C) v extinct.

The church was gathered on Nov* 7» 1744 by Old Light
secessionists from Plymouth's .first Church. A precinct was
apparently organized to sustain the Third Church. In 1783,
this Separate church rejoined the parent body, and the next
year, the First and Third Precincts were united as the
First Precinct.

4-93

Ministers: Thomas Frink (inst. 1744s rem. 1748; d. 1777)
Jacob Bacon (inst. 174-9; rem. 1776; d. 1787)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Josiah Carver
Samuel Nelson
__ Diman

(e. 174-5; m. 1746)
(e. 174-5;^. 1743)
(m. 1777 r

Very few records of this extinct church are known to have
survived.

VS - Church and Precinct Vital Statistics, 1744--1783.
Includes polls, confession of faith, marriages, baptisms,
admissions, proposal to reunite, precinct meeting records,
marriage intentions. Owned and held by Pilgrim Hall,
Plymouth.

CR - Folded page, commencing: "At a meeting of the Third
Chh in Plymouth at their Meeting House on January the 7th
174-5." Church records 174-5, 174-7-1748. Owned and held by
the Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston; comprises
part of the Nathan Stone Papers, Box. No. 1.

See also C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New
England, 174-0 - 1800 (New Haven ancTTondon, 1962), -op. 113,
205, 316.

PLYMOUTH, Pilgrimage (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 1, 1801 as the Third Church
in Plymouth, and the Third Congregational Society received
incorporation in 1802. In 1852, the society's name was
changed to the Society of the Pilgrimage, and the church
adopted the title, the Church of the Pilgrimage, in 1870.

1. PLYMOUTH, First, CR PUB, 356, makes mention under date
of July 10, 1777, of one "Deacon Diman of the 3d Church,
who constantly meets with us, 11 and records that Diman was
asked by the First Church to exercise his diaconal powers
in their midst as occasion might demand. It is conceivable
that Deacon Diman was the same Jonathan Diman who was
elected a deacon by the First Church in 1784-.

494

The society was dissolved at the incorporation of the church
in 1890.

Minister: Adoniram Judson (sett. 1802; dism. 1817;

d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon John Bishop (e. Plymouth First 1797;

e. here 1801; d. 1830)
Solomon Churchill

Lot Harlow

(e. 1802; res. and dism. to
Plymouth Fourth 1829)
(e. 1802; res. 1829)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited at a
local hank.

CR I - Church Records, 1801-1823.

CR II - Church Records, 1824-1852 (vital statistics back
to 1801).

CR III - Church Records, 1852-1883-

CR IV - Church Records, 1883-1890.

SR I - Society Records, 1802-1829.

SR II - Society Records, 1830-1840.

SR III - Society Records and Register, 1840-1868.

SR IV - Society Records, 1881-1890.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1803-
1830, 1830-1876; Society Standing Committee Records, 1874-
1889, 1890-1906; Pew Accounts, 1868-1879-

PLYMOUTH, Jones River Precinct or Parish (see Kingston).

PLYMOUTH, Monument Ponds Precinct (see Plymouth, Manomet)

495

PLYMOUTH, North Precinct (see Kingston)

PLYMOUTH, Second Precinct and Church (see Plymouth,
Manomet ) .

PLYMOUTH, Third Church and Society (see Plymouth,

Pilgrimage).

PLYMOUTH!, West Precinct and Church (see Plympton).

PLYMPTON (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 27, 1698 in. the West Pre-
cinct of Plymouth (incorporated in 1695). The precinct
became the town of Plympton in 1707, and church and parish
names were accordingly changed. The parish was dissolved
at the time of the church's incorporation in 1891.

Ministers: Isaac Cushman

Jonathan Parker
Ezra Sampson

(Plymouth deacon; ord.
•oastor here 1698; d. 1732)
(ord. 1731; d. 1776)
(ord. 1775; res. and dism.
1796; d. 1823)

496

Ebenezer Withington (ord. 1798; dism. 1801;

d. 1831)
John Briggs (inst. 1801; dism, 1807;

d. 1811)

Ruling elders and deacons : due to the lack of early church
records, very little is known of the lay officers of this
church. Secondary sources supply the names of the follow-
ing deacons:

Downham (first Plympton deacon)

John Waterman fd. 1718)^

Nathaniel Wood (d. 1724)5

Elkanah. Cushman. (d. 1727)^

The church records antedating 1793 were last reported in
1809. The extant records are owned by the church, and
deposited with the Town Clerk.

CR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1698-1793.

CR II - "The Second Volume of the Records of the Church in
PlymDton, County of Plymouth, State of Massachusetts."
1793"-1826.

CR III - "The Third Volume of Church Records in the Town
of Plympton Plymouth County Massachusetts." 1826-1849.

CR IV - "Church Records Book IV." (Flyleaf: "The Fourth

1. See "History and Description of Plympton, 1815," MHSC ,
2nd Ser., IV (1816, rep. 1846), 267-271.

2. Susan A. Smith, "Early Records of Plympton, Mass.," MD,
II (1900), 141.

3. 02. cit., II (1900), 234.

4. 0t>. cit., I (1899), 178. See also George E. Bowman,
"Deacon Elkanah Cushman 1 s Will and the Bond of His Sons
Josiah and Allerton," 0£. cit., V (1903), 20-22.

5. CR II, p. 36.

4-97

Book of tlie Records of the Congregational Church in Plymp-
ton, Mass.") 1851-1880.

CR V - "Volume 5» The Confession of Faith and Covenant of
the First Congregational Church Plympton, Mass. Adopted
by the Church in 1878." 1878-1894.

Parish records: the flyleaf of PR III states that Volumes
I, II , III and VI of the Town Records contain parish votes;
it further remarks the existence of two volumes of Parish
Records, which could not be located.

PR I & PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, to 1827.

PR III - "The Third Book of the Records of the First Parish
or Precinct in Plympton in the County of Plymouth in the
State of Massachusetts." 1827-1863.

Miscellaneous records: Pew Deeds, 1830 and 1842-1887.

See also "The Plympton Bi-Centennial, " The Congregational -
ist, LXXXIII (1898"), 622; 2£0 Years of Building Christ's
Kingdom 1698 - 1948 Being; an account of Two :ffundred and
Fifty Years witness to ourTord by The FirstHTonftreKational
Church , Plympton , Massachusetts Xn.p., 1948;.

PLYMPTON, South Church and Parish (see Carver)

POC ASSET Parish (see Bourne).

POCASSET (Pokesit) Praying Town and Church (see Bourne,
Pocasset or Pokesit Praying Town and Church).

498

POTANUMA^UUT Indian Congregational Church (see Orleans,
Potanumaquut Indian Congregational Church).

[PRESCOTT (C), extinct.]

The Second (East) Parish in Pelham was incorporated in 1786.
By 1792, a church had been gathered there under Presbyterian
auspices. Membership steadily declined, however, and after
1809 the church was unable to support a settled minister.
In 182J, it was voted to adopt Congregational polity. The
parish was reorganized at this time, and took the name,
"First Congregational Society."

The society was dissolved at the incorporation of the church
in 1914. When plans for the creation of the ^uabbin Reservoir
(involving the destruction of Prescott and neighboring towns)
became known, the church noted itself out of existence (June
24, 1923), and its "building was moved to South Hadley to
house the Skinner Museum.

Minister: Matthias Cazier 1 (inst. 1794; dism. 1798; d. 1837)

Ruling elders and
records, the only
deacons Patrick McMillen and Daniel Grey.

deacons: in
lay officers

the absence
whose names

of early church
have survived are

There are no church records for the Presbyterian phase of
the church's history. The extant records are owned and held
by the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - Churcn Records, 1823-1854, with vital statistics to
1853. Includes some inserted parish documents, 1736-1798.

CR II - "First Congl. Church, Prescott, Mass. 1858." 1653-
1919.

CR III - "Prescott, Mass. First Congregational Church.
rie cords of the First Congregational Church of Prescott,

1. Sometimes ~"iven as "Cozier

499

Mass. Incorporated 1914." 1914-1928. Owned and held by
the Congregational Library, Boston.

PR I - "Pelham-Prescott Church Records." Parish records,
1786-1843.

See also E. 0. Parmenter, History of Pelham . Mass . from
1758 to 1898 including the Early History of Prescott
(Amherst, 1898); Evelina Gustaf son, Ghost "TTowns ' neath the
Quabbin Reservoir (Boston-Norwood, 1940); Donald w. Howe
et alii , Quabbin T The Lost Valley (Ware, Mass., 1951).

PRINCETON (0).

The church was gathered on Aug. 12, 1764. In 1816, dis-
agreement over the choice of a new minister led to a
twenty-year separation. When the church three times re-
jected the liberal candidate proposed by the town, the town
(on the advice of an ecclesiastical council) settled him
and with a remnant of the church proceeded to his ordina-
tion.

The disaffected majority of the church seceded, and formed
a church under the auspices of the Newburyport Presbytery.
In 1830, finding the expenses of Presbyterianism too burden-
some, this church voted to adopt Congregational polity, and
adopted the title of Evangelical Congregational Church.
By 1836 there were no further barriers to the unification
of the Unitarian and Congregational contingents, and a
merger was effected under the names, Union Congregational
Church and First Parish.

Ministers:

Timothy Puller
Thomas Crafts
Joseph Russell
James Murdock

ord. 1767; dism. 1776; d. 1805)

ord. 1786; dism. 1791; d. 1819)

ord. 1796; dism. 1801; d. 1861)

ord. 1802; dism. 1815; d. 1856)

Ruling elders: none.

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New BnRland TIanc aster . Mass. , I9367T"p. 2S7,
lists the church and parish as extinct Unitarian bodies.

500

Deacons;

Timothy Keyes
Adonijah Howe

Elisha Hobbs
Ebenezer Parker

(e. 1767; ord. 1768; rem. n.d. ;
d. 1810)

(e. 1767; ord. 1768; res. in
protest against minister's Tory-
ism; reassumed office 1776;
d. 1800)

(e. 1787; d. 1807)
(e. 1800; d. 1839)

The records are owned by the church and deposited with the
local library.

OR I - "Princeton, Mass. Church Records, 1765-1766
cellaneous Records, 1767-1776."

CR II - "Records of the Church in Princeton."
(lacuna in running records, 1776-1786).

Mis-
17 -1836

VS I - Baptisms (1767-1815) and Marriages (1803-1815).

CR II DUP - "Records of the Congregational Church, Prince-
ton." 1817-1835.

CR III - "Church Business Meetings," 1836-1886.

CR IV - "Church Business Meetings, 1887-1897."

P/SR I - Society /Parish Records, 1833-1851.

P/SR II - "Records of the First Parish, 1851." 1851-1899.

Miscellaneous records: Town and Ministerial Rate Books,
1799-1805, 1805-1816, 1817-1825; Parish/Society Treasurer's
Accounts, 1893-1897, 1889-1901; Pew Records, 1796-1799,
1838-1840, 1866-1920.

501

PROVINCETOWN (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1714- , hut became virtually ex-
tinct during the 174-0' s, due to a sudden decrease in the
population of the town. It was reorganized in 1769 , and
then was again forced to close its doors in 1830. Revived
in 184-1, it maintained a somewhat uncertain existence until
extinguished a third time in 1950.

Ministers:

Samuel Spear (sett. 1717; rem. 1741; d. 1748)
Samuel Parker (ord. 1774- ; d. 1811)

Ruling elders and deacons: lacking any records, it is im-
possible to say who might have been the church's lay
officers.

It was reported in 1889 that the earliest extant records
dated from 1769; however, these documents were destroyed
by fire prior to 1914- .

See also "A Description of Provincetown, in the County of
Barnstable- September, 1802," MHSC, 1st Ser. , VIII (1802,
rep. 1846), 196-202; Frederick Freeman, The History of Capi
God (Boston, 1860 and 1862), two volumes; Herman A.
Jennings, Provincetown or, Odds and Ends from the Tip End
(Yarmouthport , Mass. , 1596) . "See also contents of the
metal box marked "Church of the Pilgrims Provincetown,
Mass. The 200th Anniversary Papers - June 28th, 1914-,"
owned and held by the Congregational Library, Boston.

1. Emil Oberholzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints (New York,
1956), p. 352, erroneously supposes the church to have been
gathered before 1714- .

2. See Carroll D. Wright, Report on the Custody and Condi -
tion of the Public Records of Parishes , Towns , and Counties
r5oston,TS89.), p. 11.

502

QUABAUG, Church (see Brookfield).

QUABBIN Parish (see Greenwich).

QUEENSBOROUGH (see West Stockbridge)

QUINCY, United First Parish (U).

In 1640 the town of Braintree was incorporated, encompass-
ing present-day Braintree, Quincy, Randolph and Holbrook.
The Quincy area ("Mount Wollaston") was selected as the site
of the original church, gathered on Sept. 16, 1639-
In 1708 Old Braintree was divided into duly incorporated
precincts, the North (Quincy) and the South (Braintree),
and the ancient church remained located in the North Pre-
cinct. When Quincy was set off as a town in 1792, the name
of the 1639 church and parish was duly changed to the First
Parish Church in Quincy.

In 1959, the First Parish Church merged with the Wollaston
Unitarian Society to form the United First Parish Church.

Ministers: John Wheelwright (ord. in England 1619; sett.

banished 1637;
rescinded 1644;

William Tompson

Henry Flynt
Peter Bulkley
Moses Fiske

here 1636;

banishment

d. 1679)

(ord. pastor 1639; eta. 1659;

d. 1666)
ord. teacher 1639/40; d. 1668)
sett. 1669-1670; s. 1688)

(ord. 1672; d. 1708)

503

Joseph Marsh
John Hancock, Jr.
Lemuel Briant

Anthony Wibird
Peter Whitney

ord. 1709; d. 1725/26)

ord. 1726; d. 1744)

ord. 17^5; dism. 1753;
d. 1754)

ford. 1755; d. 1800)

(ord. 1800; d. 1843)

Ruling elders: Stephen Kinsley (e. and ord. 1653)

Nathaniel Wales (e. and ord. 1700/01)

Deacons :

2

Samuel Bass
Alexander Winchester

Richard Brackett

Francis Eliot
William Alice -
Robert Parmiter^
Samuel Tompson

Thomas Bass
Joseph Penniman
Nathaniel Wales
Benjamin Savil
Moses Paine
Gregory Belcher
Capt. Peter Adams
Samuel Savil
Jonathan Webb
John Adams

(m. 1668-1677)
(adm. to membership

ca, 1640)

Xadm. to membership

ca. 1642)

e. 1653; d. 1677)

e. 1653)

e. 1677; ord. 1679)

e. and ord. 1679;
d. 1695)

m. 1711-1716)

m. 1711; d. 1?46)

m. 1722; d. 1727)

e. 1727; d. ca. 1747)

e. 1727; m. T756)

e. 1747)

e. 1747; d. 1761)

l a A ruling elder John Penniman is mentioned in CR I,
under date of 1683, but it seems doubtful that he was an
officer of the Quincy church.

2. In the absence of records antedating the church's early
years and in the face of the thinness of the extant rec-
ords, this list has been compiled from such records as do
exist and from Daniel M. Wilson (ed.), The " Chappel of
Ease " and Church of Statesmen , Commemorative Services at
the Completion of"T?wo Hundred and Fifty Years Since the

Gathering of the
bridge, 1853)7

'First~Church of Christ in Quincy CCam-

3. Sometimes given as "Parmenter. "

504

Deacon Joseph Palmer'
Lt. Moses Belcher
Joseph Neal, Jr.
Daniel Arnold
Benjamin Bass
Ebenezer Adams
Jonathan Webb^
Jo si ah Adams
Jonathan Bass
Elijah Veazie

(e. 1752;

(e. 1752;

Ce. 1769;

(e. 1769)

(e. 1771;

(e. 1773)

res. 1773)
res. 1771)
m. 1774)

d. 1808)

m. 1802)

m. 1803; res. 1811)

,m. 1803; res. 1817)

.3

There are no church records antedating 1671;^ the extant
records are owned by the church and some of them deposited
at a local bank.

CR I - "Braintree Church Records 1753 The Church Records
of Braintree." 1671-1773 , and vital statistics: baptisms,
1672-1774; admissions, 1672-1774; owners of covenant, 1664/
1680-1743; marriages, 1688-1774; dismissions, 1672-1735;
deaths, 1745-1752. Running records uneven. 4-

CR I PUB - Edward E. Jackson, "Records of the First Church
at Braintree, Mass.," NKHGR, LIX (1905), 87-91, 153-159,
269-275, 360-365. Admissions, owners of the covenant, mar-
riages, and baptisms, 1672-1708.

CR I PHOTOSTAT - Complete photostat of CR I. Made in 1956
for the National Society of the Daughters of Pounders and
Patriots of America.

1. Formerly a deacon in Boston's Ninth (West) Church.

2. Possibly the same Jonathan Vebb elected to the diacon-
ate at Quincy in 174?«

3. The first volume of church records, covering the period
1639-1671, dropped from sight between 1739 and 1824.

4. Certain disciplinary records from this volume were ex-
tensively excerpted and published by Charles F. Adams,
"Some Phases of Sexual Morality and Church Discipline in
Colonial New England," KHSP, 2nd Ser. , VI (1890-1891 ), ^77-
516. For a more popular treatment of church life at Quincy,
see idem, Three Episodes of Massachusetts History (Boston
and Hew"-YorT7T892), II, pp. 581-1009, esp. 747-763-

5. The New England Historic Genealogical Society holds a
set of these photostat copies of CR I and CR II.

505

CR II - "Braintree Church Records 1775- (V. II-)" Vital
statistics: baptisms, 1775-1856; admissions, 1775-1856;
marriages, n 1775-1850; deaths, 1800-1856; running records,

1811-1844. - 1

CR II PHOTOSTAT - Complete photostat of CR II. Made in
1956 for the National Society of the Daughters of Pounders
and Patriots of America.

PR I - "The Book of Records of The North Precinct in Brain-
tree Bought By John Marshall, Treasurer Of Said Precinct.
December 22d MDCCXIII. " 1709-1766.

PR II - "The Second Book of Records of The North Precinct
in Braintree New England March ADomini 1767:" Precinct/
parish records, 1767-1791-

See also John Hancock, A Memorial of God's Goodness . Being
the Substance of Two Sermons , Preach 'd in the first Church
oT~ Christ in BrainTreeT^ep^ * 16th ? 1739T ~Cn compleating
tEe first Century since the Gathering of itTBoston, 1739);
WillianPEunt, Two Discourses , Delivered September 29, 1859 *
on Occasion of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Gather -
ing of the First Congregational Church , Quincy : with an
Appendix (Boston, 1840 j; Frederick A. Whitney, "A Church of
the First Congregational (Unitarian) Society in Quincy,
Mass., Built in 1732," NEHGR, XVIII (1864), 117-131; Daniel
M. Wilson, £2- cit . ; William C. Edwards, H istoric Quincy
Massachusetts , 2nd ed. (Quincy, 1957).

Some scraps of information on the church's early history are
contained in "John Marshall's Diary," MHSP, 2nd Ser. , I
(1884-1885), 148-163, especially pp. 155ZI55. and in "Manu-
script on Rev. Josiah Flynt, of Braintree and Dorchester,"
DHR, X (1899), 19-25.

1. Note the lacuna in the running records, 1773-1811.

2. The New England Historic Genealogical Society holds a
set of these photostat copies of CR I and CR II.

506

QUITTAUB Indian Congregational Church (see Middleboro)

RANDOLPH (C).

The church was gathered on May 28, 1731 as the Church in
the Third (South) Precinct of Braintree, the precinct
having been incorporated in 1728.

When the precinct became the town of Randolph in 1793,
church and parish became the First in Randolph. The Trus-
tees of the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1832. In
1959 the parish was dissolved and the church incorporated.

Ministers: Elisha Eaton (ord. 1731; dism. 1750:

d. 1764)

Moses Taft (ord. 1752; d. 1791 )

Jonathan Strong, D.D. (ord, 1789; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.

Thomas Wales
Samuel Bass
Peter Thayer
Jonathan Wild
Nathaniel Wales

Deacons: Thomas Wales (e. 1731; d. 1775)

(e. 1733; d. 1768)

(e. 1768; res. 1781)

(e. 1768; d. 1794)

(e. 1782; d. 1788)

William Linfield, 3rd (e. 1782; res. and dism.

1818)

(e. 1788; res. 1814)

Samuel Allen

The church records antedating 1815 kave been lost for
several years; the extant records are owned by the church
and deposited in a local bank.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1731-1815.

CR II - "Church Clerk's Records 1815-1831."

CR III - "Church Clerk's Records 1831-1881."

CR IV - "Church Clerk's Records 1881-1924."

C REG I - "Catalogue of Church Members 1731-1850. Catalogue
of Members of the First Congregational Church Randolph,

507

Mass. to Jan. 1, 1850." Admissions, 1731-1875, chronologi-
cally arranged with alphabetical index.

PR I - "Records 1728-1755 First Parish, Randolph.
Vol. I." Precinct records.

PR II - "Parish Records First Parish, Randolph. 1756-1815.
Vol. II." Precinct/parish records.

PR III - "Vol. III. Records of 1. Parish, Randolph AD. 1815
to 1859. Parish Meetings &c."

PR IV - "Records
1899."

First Parish, Randolph. Vol. V. 1859

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Accounts, 1799-1807; Church
Fund Accounts, 1827-1882; Parish Assessors Rate Books, 1813,
1814, 1815, 1817, 1819, 1820, 1821, 1822 (two), 1823 (two),
1824, 1825, 1826, 1827, 1827-28, 1828, 1829, 1830, I83I,
1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, I838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842,
1843, 1844-45, 1845-47, 1848-56, 1858-64, 1860, 1861, 1882-
1903; Pew Deeds, 1839-1859, 1887-1911; Meeting House Finance
Committee, I86O-I863.

See also Manual of the F irst Congregational Church in Ran-
dolph; with Historical Sketches , and a Catalogue of Members
V Randolph, 1862 j ; Proceedings at the One Hundred and Fiftiet h
Anniversary of the Organization of the First Co ngregational
Church, Randolph , Mass. Wednesday , June 8th , 1881 (BostonT
1881 ;, including historical address by J.~U7 Labaree;
5522 R " Butnam ' History of Randolph (Brockton, 1952):
glOth Anniversary First Congregational Church of Randolph
Friday, March 10, 1961 (n.p.; l96l). tL ~

RAYNHAIJ, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 19, 1731. The Trustees of
The Funds appropriated to the Support of Religion, Piety,
and Morality in the town of Raynham were incorporated in
1798, and the First Congregational Society in I834. In 194-7
church and society were consolidated into one organization.

508

Although a temporary separation by New Lights disturbed the
church in 1749-1751? no Separate church was organized here. 1

Ministers :

John Wales

Peres Fobes, D.D.

ford. 1731; d. 1765)
(ord. 1766; d. 1812; served
as Vice-President and Pro-
fessor of Natural Philosophy
at Brown, 1786-1798)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

John Staples
Samuel Leonard
Jonathan Shaw
Jonathan Hall
Edmund Williams
Elijah Leonard
Israel Washburn
Jonathan Shaw
Abiel Williams 4
Oliver Washburn

e. 1731; d.

e. 1731; d.

.e. 174-1; m.

(e. 1750; p m.

(e. i75or

e. 1761; m.

d. 1799)

e. 1780; m.
(e. 1797; d.
(e. 1797; d.

1749 ?)
17^5 ?)
1755)
1785)

1785)

1782 ) 5

I83O)

1824)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Records Vol. I." 1740-1790, 1797, 1812;
vital statistics, 1738-1822.

VS PUB - Francis E. Blake, "Marriages and Baptisms in
Raynham, Mass.," HEHGR, LI (1897), 290-292, 315-316." 1782-
1792.

CR II - "Records of the Church of Christ in Raynham.
Vol. II." 1823-1840, with marriages to 1847.

1. See C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England ,
1740 - 1800 (Mew Haven and London, 1962), p. 316.

2. Probably the same Edmund Williams who was suspended from
church privileges in 1751, for his adopting Baptist prin-
ciples.

3. It was doubtless this Jonathan Shaw who died in 1796.

4. See "The Will of Deacon Abiel Williams," KD, XXIII
(1921), 33-39.

509

CR III - "Records of the Church in Raynham Vol. III."
1847-1879.

CR IV - "Records of the First Cong. Church, Raynham.
Vol. 4." 1880-194-3-

MP I - Records of the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund,
1798-1920.

SR I - Society Records, 1834-1885.

SR II - "Records of the First Congregational Society.
Raynham, Mass. Vol. 2." 1886-1929.

Miscellaneous records: Society Register, 1850-1946.

READING (C).

Reading was settled in 1639, and its (First) church was

gathered in 1645-

In 1713, the residents of northern Reading successfully-
petitioned to become a separate precinct, taking the title
of the Precinct on the North Side of Ipswich River and
Sadlor's Rock. Reading's Second Church was gathered in
this precinct in 1720.

On Feb. 21, 1770, the settlers of southern Reading were
permitted to gather their own church, Reading's Third, and
it is with this church we now have to do. Its parish took
the designation "Third" or "West," and made the transition
to the status of a society in 1828, receiving incorporation
as the Third Congregational Society in that year.
A dispute over church discipline in 1849 saw a number of
the members of the Third Church withdrawing to form the
Bethesda Congregational Church; those continuing as the
Third Church styled themselves "the Old South Church." The
Old South Parish was incorporated in 1880.
In 1853 j the northern precinct was made the town of North
Reading, and carried with it the 1720 church. At this
point, the 1770 (Old South) church and parish became known
as "the Second (South) in Reading."
The remainder of old Reading was divided in 1868 into the

510

towns of Reading and Wakefield- Wakefield carried with it
the 1645 church, Reading the 1770 church.

In 1886 Eethesda and (Old) South merged as the First Church
of Reading, settling in the building formerly used by
Bethesda Church .

Ministers: Thomas Haven (ord. 1770; d. 1782)

Peter Sanborn (ord. 1790; dism. 1820; d. 1857)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan Temple
Samuel Bancroft
Timothy Pratt, Jr.
James Bancroft
John Temple
Ens. Benjamin Pratt

e. 1770; d. ca. 1788)

e. 1770; d. 1782)

e. 1778; d. 1798)

(e. 1784; d. 1831)

(e. 1795; d. 1823)

(e. 1795; d. 1843)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited with the
town Tax Collector.

CR I - "Parish [ sic ] Records Dating from 1770 - Handle With
Care." Church records, 1770-1820.

CR II - "Records of the South Church in Reading, Mass."
1820-1836.

CR III - "Records of the South Church in Reading, Mass."
1837-1855.

PR I - Parish Records, 1769-1820.

PR II - Parish Records, 1821-1854.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors Rate Books, 1770-
1815, 1816-1823, 1821-1865; Parish Treasurer's Accounts,
1769-1817, 1818-1847, 1844-1846, 1846-1848, 1848-1885.

In addition to the church's several published manuals, see
the item owned and held by the Congregational Library,
Boston: Edith Bancroft, typescript, "First Congregational
Church in Reading 1770-1945 Its History as Found in An-
cient Record and Present Memory."

1. The building formerly used by (Old) South Church was
purchased by a Methodist organization, which thereupon took
the name of "the Old South Methodist Church."

511

READING, First Church (see North Reading)

READING, First Church and Parish (see Wakefield)

READING, Old South Church and Parish (see Reading)

READING, North Church (see North Reading).

READING, Second Parish, Second Congregational Society (see
Reading;.

READING, South Parish (see Reading).

READING, South Parish (see Wakefield)

512

READING, Third Congregational Society (see Reading)

READING, West Parish (see Reading).

READING, Westerly part of Land North East Part of Wo burn]
[Parish] (see Wilmington).

REHOBOTH (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 29, 1721 as the Second
Church in Rehoboth. It soon became known locally as the
Palmer's River Church. The Second Precinct was organized
about 1759, and the Trustees of the Second Precinct/Parish
received incorporation in 1761.

In 1792, two acts of incorporation were passed by the state
legislature, the one naming the Catholick Congregational
Church and Society in the Second Precinct in the town of
Rehoboth as a corporate body, the other recognizing as a
distinct entity the Trustees of the same church and society.
In 1848, the church and society were once again incorporated,
and until about 1930, bore the title "Catholick Congrega-
tional." In the latter year, the term "Catholick" was
dropped.

1. The First Church, gathered in 1643, was located in that
section of Rehoboth which in 1812 was set off as the town
of Seekonk. Then, in 1862, a part of Seekonk (including the
territory served by the First Church) was ceded to Rhode
island, and became part of East Providence.

513

Ministers:

David Turner (ord. 1721; d. 1757)

Robert Rogerson (ord. 1759; d. 1799)

Otis Thompson (ord. 1800; dism. 1826;

d. 1859)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Thomas Ormsby
Elisha May-
John Wilmarth
Abiah Carpenter
Joshua Smith
Thomas Carpenter
Stephen Moulton
Ephraim Bliss
Joshua Smith
Daniel Bliss
John Brown
Calvin Jacobs

1721)
1721)

1751
1738

1744- .
1744

1750,

1762)

1762 ?)

served between 1762 and 1791)

e. 1791)
e. 1801)

::

(e.
(e.
(e.

8:

e.
e.

eta. 1772)

The records antedating 1825 disappeared about that time, and
are generally presumed to have been taken by the minister
dismissed in 1826 by the church. The extant records are
owned and held by the church.

VS I - "Record of Baptisms in the Congregational Church in
Rehoboth, Ms. Ab annum 1721 ad annum 1814."

CR I - Church Records, 1825-1857-

CR II - "A Record of the Congregational Church in Rehoboth
commenced January 1st AD 1858." 1858-1911.

CR II COPY - Church Records, 1889-1890.

PR I - "Book for Records St Soforth. The Second Precinct
Book of Records in Rehoboth Whare in y Preinct Proceedings
are Recorded - By William Bullock Clerk of Preinct March
y e 25th 1759." Precinct records, 1759-1792; society rec-
ords, 1792-1827 •

SR II - "The Second Book of Records of the Incorporated
Catholic Congregational Church and Society in the Second
Precinct in the town of Rehoboth October 31st. 1827."
Society records, 1827-184-3.

SR HI - "The third Book of Societies Records
March 2nd A.D. 1844." 1844-1870.

Rehoboth

514-

SR IV - "The Fourth Book of Societies Records Rehoboth
April 1870 James H. Percy, Clerk." 1870-1930.

Miscellaneous records: Church and Society Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1857-1926; Precinct/Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1759-1850.

See also Otis Thompson, A Sermon , P reached November 29 , 1821 ,
the Day which Completed Une Hundred~Yea rs since th e Organiz a-
tion of the C ongregational Church in ReEoboth , Mass . (Taun-
ton, IH2T77 Leonard Bliss, Jr., The History of Rehoboth ,
Bristol County , Massachusetts (Boston, 1836); Sylvanus C.
Newman, Rehoboth in the Past: An Historical Oration
Delivered on the Fourth of July , 1860 (Pawtucket, R.I,,
I860.) ; Isaac R. Prior, Sermon Delivered at the One Hundred
and Fifty-Third Anniversary of the Congregational Church ,
of Rehoboth, Mass . Sunday , December 6th , 1874 (Central
Falls, R.I., 1875); D. Hamilton Hurd TecL )7 ~Hl3tory of
Bristol County , Massachusetts , with Biographical Sketches
of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Philadelphia,
IS837; George HT Tilton, A History of ReEoboth , Massachu -
setts (Boston, 1918); Richard L. Bowen, Early Rehoboth :
Documented Historical Studies of Families and Events in This
FlymouthUolony Township (Rehoboth, 1945-l35g) t 4 vq-1~

REHOBOTH, Separate (C), extinct.

This Separate church was gathered in May of 1746 by Rehoboth
New Lights; it became extinct shortly after the death of its
second minister.

Ministers: John Paine (ord. 1748; rem. 1751 ?)
Samuel Peck (ord. 1751; d. 1788)

Ruling elders and deacons: nothing is known of the lay
officers of this church.

No records of this church have survived. See the several
histories cited under the preceding entry, and also Isaac
Backus, A [ Church ] History of New England , III (Boston,
1796), p. 53; Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and

515

The Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass.,
1556;, pp. 161, 268; C. CT"Soen, Revivalism and Separatism
in New England , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962;,
p. 937 Weis errs xn making Peck a Baptist and locating his
church at Seekonk.

[REHOBOTH, South (C), extinct. 1

The early history of this church is closely interwoven with
that of Rehoboth's several Baptist churches, although when
it was gathered on Jan. 20, 1773* it was established on open
communion principles.

By 1796, this open communion church was-worshipping jointly
with John Hix f s "Fifth Baptist Church," and early in the
nineteenth century the two churches appear to have become
one, taking the name of "The First Christian Church," which
in due time was renamed in consequence of the Congregational-
Christian merger of 1931- The church, after several years
of inactivity, became extinct in 1964.

Minister: Jacob Hix 5 (ord. 1773; d. 1809)

Ruling elders and deacons: nothing is known of the lay
officers of this church.

No records of this church antedating 1809 have survived.
See the secondary sources cited under the two preceding
Rehoboth entries, especially Backus, pp. cit. , pp. 148-159;
Bliss, ibid . ; Hurd, 0£. cit., pp. 463-494.

Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy- and The Colonial

-g367Tp. 26S
although its

C hurches of New En gland (Lancaster, Mass., 1936;, p. 268,
lists this as the "Seventh Baptist Church,"
minister never became a Baptist.

2. So designated by Weis, loc . cit .

3» Sometimes given as "Hicks."

516

REHOBOTH, First Church and Precinct/Parish/Society (see
Seekonk).

REHOBOTH, The (Incorporated) Catholick Congregational
Church and Society (see Rehobotn (C)).

REHOBOTH, Palmer's River Church (see Rehoboth (C)).

REHOBOTH, Second Church and Precinct/Parish (see
Rehoboth (C)).

REVERE, First (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Oct. 19, 1715 as the Church at
Ruroney Marsh, an area which in 1739 became part of the
newly-created town of Chelsea. The First Church and Parish
in 1846 became known as the First Church and Parish in
North Chelsea; in 1871, North Chelsea was set off as the
town of Revere, and church and parish were duly renamed. The
First Unitarian Society received incorporation in 1888, but
shortly thereafter both society and church became extinct.

517

Ministers : Thomas Cheever

William McClenachen

Phillips Payson, D.D.

Joseph Tuckerman, D.D

(ord. Maiden 1681;

re-ord. here 1715;

d. 1749)

(ord. 1748; dism. 1754;

rem, 1758)

Cord. 1757;

(ord. 1801;

dism. 1826;

d. 1801)
re s • and
d. 1840)

Ruling elders: Capt. Samuel Watts (e. 1735; d. 1770)

Deacon William Hassey (e. 1735; d. 1753)

Deacons :

John Tuttle, Sr.
John Chamberlane
William Hassey 1

Jacob Hassey
Daniel Watts
Benjamin Brintal
John Sale
Joshua Cheever
William Harris

(e. 1715; res. 1720; d. ca. 1723)

(e. 1720; res. 1749; d. 1753)

(e. 1729; elev. to ruling elder

1735; d. 1753)

(e. 1735; res. 1748; d. 1953)

(e. 1749; d. 1760)

(e. 1749; d. 1786)

(e. 1769; res. 1798; d. 1803)

(e. 1782; res. 1806; d. 1813)

(e. 1798; d. 1824)

The records are owned and held by the Library of the Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

OR I - "Rumny-marish Church-book: 1715." 1715-1757-

VS I PUB - Henry M. Dexter, "Record of Baptisms (1715-1747)
Set Down in the First Volume of the Records of the Church
at 'Rumney-Marsh' (No. Chelsea, Ms.), in the Handwriting of
Its First Pastor, Thomas Cheever," NEHGR, XX (1866), 328-332.

CR II - "The Records of y e Church at Chelsea, Beginning
July y e 28, 1757." 1757-1800.

CR III - "Joseph Tuckerman. November 7, 1801. Records of
the church in Chelsea." 1801-1828.

CR IV - "Horatio Alger - September 1829 - George M. Rice -
September 1844. Records of the first church in Chelsea. w
1829-1869.

1. The elections of Samuel Tuttle and William Hassey to
the diaconate in 1720 were voided by the church later the
same year; nine years later, Hassey was again elected.

518

Certain of the church records were published by Mellen
Chamberlain in his A Documentary History of Chelsea includ -
ing the Boston Precincts of Winnisimmet , ffumney Marsh , and
Fullen Point , 1624-1824 "(Boston, 1908;, two vols. However,
the baptismal and death notices are taken out of context
and relegated to an appendix, all notices of ecclesiastical
councils are omitted, and the running records of church
disciplinary proceedings are abbreviated with names fre-
quently being wholly omitted.

RICHMOND (C).

The church was gathered in 17&5 * tne same year in which the
parish was organized. The Congregational Society was
organized in 1824, and dissolved soon after the church was
incorporated in 1892.

Ministers: Job Swift, D.D. (ord. 1767; dism. 1774; d. 1804)
David Perry (inst. 1784- ; dism. 1816;

d. 1817)

Ruling elders : none .

Deacons: Silas Parmelee

James Gates, Esq
John Hall
William Osborn
John Gaston

(e. ca. 1767; d. 1776)

(e. 1785; d. 1805)

(e. 1785; m. 1792; rem. n.d.)

(e. after 1785; rem. n.d.)

(e. 1802; rem. 1834- )

There are no church records antedating 1784; the extant
records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Richmond, August 25th Ad 1784, Records of the Church
of Christ in Richmond, under the pastoral charge of David
Ferry." 1784-1822.

CR II - "Records of the Church in Richmond, 1822. Vol-
ume 2." 1822-1853-

CR III - "Records of The Congregational Church in Richmond,
Mass: 1854. Volume Third." 1854--1883-

519

CR IV - "Records of The Congregational Church in Richmond,
Mass: January 1st, 1884, to Dec. 30, 1892. Volume Fourth."

CR V - Church Records, 1892-1899.

SR I - "Records of the Congregational Society of Richmond,
Commencing March 25 A.D. 1824." 1824-1869.

SR II - Society Records, 1870-1899.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1824-1882, 1883-1907-

See also the church's manuals (Pittsfield, 1855, 1886 and
n.p., 1908), all entitled Manual of The Congregational
Church in Richmond.

ROADTOWN, Church (see Shutesbury).

ROCHESTER, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 13, 1703. The town was
organized in 1686, and its people had been successively
ministered to by Samuel Shiverick (1683-1687) and Samuel
Arnold, Jr. (1687-1703; ord. 1703; d. 1709).
Three precincts were set off in turn, the second (1736)
eventually becoming Mattapoisett, the third (1791) what is
now called "North Rochester," and the fourth (1798)
present-day Marion.

The minister ordained at Rochester First in 1799 served the
two congregations of one church until 1827, when, on the
advice of an ecclesiastical council, the church was divided
into two distinct bodies. The minister of the 1703 church
chose to remain at Marion; the man who was to have been his
colleague was ordained to serve Rochester First Church. By

520

terms or the division, the records (and continuity) were
to remain at Rochester, and a copy of the records to be
provided the Marion church. The Marion church further
agreed to take the name "South Church" rather than "First
Church," the latter title belonging to the Rochester body,
although that church more frequently employed the name
"Center Church." The Proprietors of the Meeting House were
organized in I837. The old parish was dissolved in 1946,
at the time of the church's incorporation.

Ministers: Samuel Arnold, Jr

Timothy Ruggles
Jonathan Moore

Oliver Cobb, D.D.

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Abraham Holmes
John Freeman
Roger Haskell
Elisha Freeman
Ebenezer Hamlin
Samuel Winslow
James Foster
John Winslow

Seth Dexter
Richard Church, Jr

(sett. 1687; ord. 1703;
d. 1709)

(ord. 1710 ; d. 1768)
(ord. 1768; dism. 1792;
d. 1814 ]r

(ord. 1799* serving con-
gregations here and at
Marion; rem. to Marion
1827; d. 1849)

1

e. 1703)

e. 1729 ?; m. 1732; dism.)

(e. 1729 ?; dism. 1739)

(e. 1739; m. 1757)

(e. 1739; dism. 1739-174-0)

Ce. 1740 ?)

(e. 1748; m. 1770)

(e. 1748; suspended 1751;
res. 1752)

(e. 1752: m. 178?)

(e. I??*)

1. Apparently the records were allocated in direct con-
tradiction to the terms of the agreement. This may have
inclined Frederick L. Weis to present his data for Roches-
ter First Church under Marion. See The Colonial Clergy
and The Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass. ,
I93wT~P* 258.

2. Isaac Backus, A [Church] History of New England , III
(Boston, 1796), pp. 75ff . , remarks that upon being dis-
missed for "gross immoralities," Moore led a separation
from the church which lasted some thirty months.

521

James Foster, 2nd (e. 1776; suspended 1791, re-
instated; res. 1799; d. 1811)
Ebenezer Clark (e. 1782; m. 1792 )
Elijah Dexter (e. 1782; m. 1799)-,
William Sherman (e. 1799; d. 1814) x

The records antedating 1725 were reported lost by Cobb in
1799. The extant records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1725-1793. Presumed des-
troyed at Marion in the hurricane of 1938-

CR I COPY - "A True Copy of the 'Ancient Book of Records'
of the First Church of Christ in Rochester . Done at
Rochester AD. 1900. Alice M. Bolles, Copyist." 1725-1793,
with admissions to 1858.

CR II - "Congregational Church Records Rochester Mass."
(Flyleaf: "No. 2 First Congregational Church of Rochester
Organized Oct. 13th 1703.") 1798-1873-

CR III - "Rochester Center Congregational Church Records."
(Flyleaf: "Vol. No. 3.") I874-1905.

PR I - MISSING, Parish Records, -1870.

PR II - Parish Records, 1870-1926.

ROCHESTER, North (C).

The church was gathered in 1753 as the Third (North) Church
in Rochester, although the Third Precinct was not set off

1. History and Manual of the First Congregational Church
Rochester / KasI .~I753 19S9 ~Cn.p.. 1909; notes that Samuel
Arnold, Jr. , son of the first minister, is frequently
termed "Deacon Arnold" in old documents, and that a Deacon
Whiteridge is similarly mentioned in 1780.

522

until 1791. In 1793 the latter body was incorporated as
the Congregational Precinct in Rochester, Middleborough
and Freetown. The Proprietors of the Congregational
Meeting House had organized in 1791; in 1825 they were
superceded by the newly-incorporated Trustees of the Third
Congregational Precinct in Rochester, Middleborough and
Freetown. The North Rochester Congregational Church was
incorporated in 1891.

Ministers: Thomas West (sett. 1748; d. 1790)
Calvin Chaddock (ord. 1793; rem. 1804:

d. 1823)

Ruling elders and deacons: in the absence of church rec-
ords, no names of lay officers of the church have survived.

There are no church records antedating 1891; the extant
records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1891-present.

P 5 i ~ "Book 1st Records of the Congregational Precinct
or Rochester, Middleborough & Freetown." 1793-1841,

P ? I 1 7 " Book 2d ' Record s of the Congregational Precinct
of Rochester Middleborough & Freetown." 1842-1904.

^f£ ellane0US records: **ecinct Trustees Records, 1825-

See "Topography and History of Rochester, Mass. 1815,"
msc, 2nd Ser., IV (1816, rep. 1846), 250-257; Abraham
Holmes, 'Topographical Description of the Town of Rochester
m the County of Plymouth," op. cit., 2nd Ser., X (1823,
rep. 1843), 29-40; History a5d ManUal of the First Con-
gregational Church Rochester . Mass . T7o5 l^ff? — (STp.

1. Rochester's First Church was gathered in 1703; the
church of the Second Precinct (now Mattapoisett) was
gathered in 1736.

523

ROCHESTER, Fourth (Congregational) Precinct (see Marion)

ROCHESTER, Second Church, Precinct and Meeting House (see
Mattapoisett).

ROCHESTER, South Church (see Marion).

ROCHESTER, Third Church and Parish (see Rochester, North)

ROCHESTER CENTER, Church (see Rochester, First).

ROCHESTER, MIDDLEBOROUGH AND FREETOWN, (Third) Precinct
(see Rochester, North).

524

ROCKPORT, First (C).

The church was gathered on Feb. 13, 1755 as the Fifth
Church in Gloucester (Sandy Bay Church), the Fifth Parish
having been incorporated the previous year. The Trustees
of the Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1827-
In 1840, the area was made the town of Roclcport, and the
names of the church and parish (now society) were duly
changed to "the First in Rockport." The society was dis-
solved in 1937* at the time of the church's incorporation,

Ministers:

Ebenezer Cleaveland (ord. 1755; dism. 1784:

re-sett. 1794; d. 1805)

David Jewett (ord. 1805; dism. 1835;

d. 1841)

Ruling elders:

Edmund Grove r
Jabez Baker
Deacon Samuel Davis
Deacon Jonathan Pool
Deacon Henry Witham

(e. 1756; d. 1761)

Ce. 1756; d. 1758)

(e. 1759; d. 1770)

(e. 1761; d. 1776)

(e. 1772; d. 1777)

Deacons: Henry Witham

Samuel Davis

Jonathan Pool

Ebenezer Grover
Caleb Pool
Jabez Rowe

(e. 1756; elev. to ruling elder

1772; d. 1777)

(e. 1756; elev. to ruling elder

1759; d. 1770)

(e 1759; elev. to ruling elder

1761; d. 1776)

(e. 1761; d. 1762)

(e. 1763; d. 1779)

(e. 1772; d. 1811)

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted. CR I, CR II, PR I, PR II and SR III have been
microfilmed, and a copy of the film is owned and held by

the church.

CR I - "Church Record - Price 12/Lawfull Money - Purchased
with 2 Dollars Given to the 5th Church of Christ in
Gloucester by Elder Jabez Baker & Deacon Samuel Davis -
Anno Domini 1756." 1755-1807, with vital statistics to

CR/PR I COPT - MS copy of miscellaneous church and parish
votes, 1755-1779. Owned and held by the Congregational

Library, Boston.

525

VS ADM I - Admissions, 1756-1832.

CR II - "A record of the fifth church of Christ in
Gloucester. " 1805-1895-

VS ADM II - Admissions, 1805-188?.

VS ADM III - "Articles of Faith in the fifth church of
Gloucester." With admissions, I835-I837.

VS ADM IV - Admissions and miscellaneous statistics, 1891-
1929.

VS MAR I - Marriages, 1805-1884.

VS BAP I - Baptisms, I836-I883.

PR I - "Parish Book 1752 - February the 1 Day." 1752-1794,

PR I PUB - Calvin W. Pool, "Records of the Fifth Parish of
Gloucester, now Rockport " EIHC, XXI (1884), 152-160, 225-
240, 269-288, XXII (18855, 136-151, 235-240. Parish items,
1752-1771.

PR I COPY & PR II - "Parish Book . . . Sandy Bay Beginning
the Year 1752 It being the Fifth Parish of Gloucester."
Copy of PR I, with further records, 1794-1858.

SR III - Society Records, 1859-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Parish and Minis oex-xal Fund Ac-
counts, 1781-1858; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1815-1852:
Ministerial Fund Accounts, 1825-1846.

ROCK(Y) HILL Church (see Amesbury, Rock(y) Hill Church..
This is the church of the Second or West Parish of Salis-
bury, but relocation of town lines brought it into
Amesbury).

526

ROWE (U), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1770 as the Church in Myrifield,
an area which in 1785 was made the town of Rowe. The First
Congregational Society was organized in 1832, and reorgan-
ized as the First Congregational Unitarian Society in 1882
when the church took the name of First Congregational
Unitarian Church.

The church and society became extinct in recent years, its
land and building becoming the property of the Rowe Unitar-
ian Camp Corporation.

Ministers: Cornelius Jones
Preserved Smith

(ord. Sandisfield 1756; sett.
here 1770; d. 1783)
(ord. 1787; dism. and rem.
1804; re-sett. 1812; res. 1821;
d. 183^)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Archibald Thomas
Jonas Gleason
Henry Wilson
Nathan Foster

(e. ca. 1770;

(e. ca. 1770;

(ra. 1786)

(m. 1797-1804)

d.
d.

1793)

1815)

Virtually all records of the church have been destroyed
or disappeared. The Rowe Public Library holds one volume
which contains Society Assessors Accounts, 1832-1834,
together with town tax records. The Rowe Unitarian Camp
Corporation reportedly holds a book of Society Records,
beginning with entries for 1832, but this could not be ob-
tained for examination.

See also Percy W. Brown, H istory of Rowe , Massachusetts ,
3rd ed. (Adams, Mass., 19&0;.

1. Brown, 0£. cit . , p. 48, reports the loss of most of
the records in a disastrous parsonage fire.

527

R0WLBERRY1 Parish (see Byfield).

ROWLEY, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 3, 1639, and its parish
organized in 1733- The church was incorporated as the
First Congregational Church in 1889; the parish was dis-
solved in 194-7.

Ministers;

Ezekiel Rogers
John Killer

John Brock

Samuel Phillips
Samuel Shepard
Jeremiah Shepard

Edward Pays on
Jedidiah Jewett

Ebenezer Bradford
David Tullar

(ord. pastor 1639;

d. 1660/61)

(ruling elder Roxbury 1637-

1639; assistant minister

here 1659; rem. 1641:

d. 1663;

(assistant minister 1648;

rem. 1650; d. 1688) p

(ord. teacher 1651; d. 1696)^

(ord. pastor 1665; d. 1668)

(assistant minister 1673;

dism. 1680; d. 1720)

(ord. teacher 1682; d. 1732)

(ord. colleague 1729;

d. 1774)

(ord. 1782; d. 1801)

(ord. 1803; dism. 1810;

d. 1839)

Ruling elder: Humphrey Reyner (e. 1639; d. before 1661)

Deacons: Maximillian Jewett (e«

Ihomas Mighill (e.

Francis Parrat (e*

Matthew Boyes (e.

1639; d. 1684)
1639; d. before 1656)
ca . 1656; rem. 1656)
ca. 1656; rem. 1657)

1. Samuel Mather (b. 1626; d. 1671) served briefly as
assistant minister to Rogers, following Miller's removal

2. Phillips assumed the title of pastor to Payson's
teacher in 1682.

528

Samuel Brocklebank
William Tenney
John Pearson
John Trumbull
Ezekiel Jewett
Samuel Palmer
Timothy Harris
Sgt. Humphrey Hobson
Sgt. Joseph Boynton
Edward Pay son
Francis Pickard
David Bailey
Moses Clark
Ens. Thomas Mighill
Jeremiah Jewett
George Jewett

v.

i

(e. 1666;

(e. 1668;

(e. 1686;

(e. 1686;

(e. 1686;

'e. 1708;

e. 1708;

e. 1723;

,e. 1723;

(e. 17^0;

e. 174-0;

e. 1761;

e. 1769;

.e. 1769;

(e. 1769;

(e. 1791;

d. 1676)
d. 1685)
d. 1692)
rem. n.d.)
d. 1723)
d. 1719)
d. 1723)
d. 1742)

d. 1755)
d. 1769
d. 1778
d. 1769,
d. 1791
d. 1807
d. 1809)
d. 1829)

The church records antedating 1664 have long since disap-
peared; the extant records are owned and held by the church

CR I - Church Records, 1664-1784, with addenda to 1796.

C MISC - Minister's Extract Book, 1730-1783. Contains
marriage records.

CR II - Church Records, 1742-1782. (Back of book contains
a set of parish records, 1728-1763).

VS DEATHS PUB - George B. Blodgette, "Copy of the Record
of Deaths of the First Church in Rowley, 1696-1777," EIHC,
XIV (1877), 49-59, 94-109, 172-187. (Offprinted Salem,
1878.)

VS DISM PUB - George B. Blodgette, "Dismissions from the
First Church, 1684-1774," EIHC , XIV (1877), 149-152.

VS PUB - George B. Blodgette, "Early Records of Rowley:
First Record of the First Church," EIHC , XXXIV (1898), 77-
116, XXXV (1899), 103-128, 243-256, "573-303- (Offprinted
Salem, 1898.)

1. See "Extracts from the Ledger of Deacon John Pearson
of Rowley," NEHGR, XII (1858), 137-138.

529

CR III - "Book of Church Records. Belonging to the 1st
Church of Christ in Rowley. Begun at the Settlement of the
Revd. Ebenezer Bradford. Augt. 4. 1782." 1782-1835-

CR IV - "Church Record Rowley." (Flyleaf: "Records of
the Congregational Church, Rowley, Mass.") Incomplete ex-
tract of CR I; church records, 184-0-1870.

CR V - "Record. First Congregational Church Records, 1870
to 1929." (Flyleaf: "Records of the Congregational Church.
Rowley, Mass. Commencing Dec. 20th 1870. to Dec. 29, 1929.")

CCORP I - "Records of The First Congregational Church,
Rowley prior to & following incorporation. From April 8,
1889 To Jan. 2, 194-1-" Church corporation records.

[PR I - Parish Records, 1728-1763. In back of CR II.]

PR II - "Parish Records 1733 To 1782."

PR III - "Parish Book. From 1781 to 1882."

PR IV - "Parish Records 1822 to I870. "

PR V - Parish Records, 1892-1903.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 174-3-
1832, 1833-1862; Pew Records, 184-2-1902.

See also Thomas Gage, The History of Rowley , anciently
including Bradford, Boxford , and Georgetown , from the Year
1&39 to the Pr esent Time (Boston, 184-6; ; J. L. EwelT,
"Ezeklel "Sogers, theTTrst Minister of Rowley," NEM,
N.S. XXI (1899), 3-22; Amos E. and Emily M. A. Jewett,
Rowley , Massachusetts : "M r Ezechi Rogers Plantation ,"
1639 -1850 IRowle.y, 194-6 ) .

ROWLEY, Second Church and Precinct/Parish (see Georgetown).

530

ROWLEY, West Parish (see Georgetown)

ROXBURY (see Boston, Roxbury).

ROYALSIDE Precinct (see Beverly, Second).

ROYALSTON, First (C).

The church was gathered on Oct- 13, 1766, and the First
Parish or Congregational Society organized in 1831. The
church was incorporated in 1896.

Minister: Joseph Lee (ord. 1768; d. 1819)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Capt. John Frye

Benjamin Woodbury
Mao. John Bachelor

Isaac Nichols
Ammi Faulkner
Isaac Gregory
Samuel Goddard, Jr,

(e. 1768; d. 1814)

(e. 1768; res. 1779; d. 1793)

(e. 1779; res. 1802;

rem. 1810)

(e. 1781; res. 1787)

(e. 1785; res. 1821)

(e. 1795; d. 1808)

(e. 1802; res. 1809)

The first volume of church records was probably destroyed
by fire some years ago; it was last reported extant in
1861. The extant records are owned and held by the church

CR

I - KISSING, Church Records, 1766-1818.

531

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Royals ton,
Volume II." 1818-1861.

CR III - "Records of the Doings of the First Congregational
Church in Royalston — Commencing June 9th, 1861." 1861-
1893.

CR IV - Church Records, 1893-1919.

P/SR I - "Records of the first Parish or Congregational
Society, 1831-1899."

PROP I - "Records of the Proprietors of the first Congrega-
tional Meeting House in the center of Royalston." 184-7-
1884.

See also Joseph Lee, A Half-Century Discourse , Delivered
M onday , Oct . 19, 1818 ; Being the Fiftieth Anniversary of
His Ordination (Worcester, 1819 j; E. W. Bullard, A Histor -
ical Discourse Delivered Sabbath , Oct . 14, 1866 , in Com -
memoration of the One Hundredth Anniversary of the First
Congregational Church in Royalston , Mass . (Worcester, 1866);
Lilley B. Caswell, The History of the Town of Royalst on,
Massachusetts (RoyaliTon, 1917).

RUMNEY MARSH, Church (see Revere).

RUSSELL (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Nov. 1, 1800, never settled a
minister, and became inactive by 1843. The Congregational
Society, organized in 1797, was dissolved in 1868.

Ministers: none.

532

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Seth Gridley
Levi Chapman

e. 1800; res- 1824)
e. 1800; rem. 1807)

The first volume of church records disappeared many years
ago, but much of its contents were preserved in CR II,
according to the following memorandum on p. 1 of that vol-
ume: "The first book of records being small & filled up,
The most important and necessary parts of it are transcribed
into this — The Articles of covenant & Faith adopted at
first by the church are omitted, & those inscribed which
were adopted in February 18J0 — The new record begins in
18J0. This church was organized Nov. 1st. 1800. 3y Joseph
Badger — late Pastor of the church in Blandford." Another
memorandum, p. 3, adds: "The cases of discipline in the
church, are not drawn off from the old record."

CR I - KISSING, Church Records, 1800-1830.

CR II - "Records of the Russel Congregational Church, 1830."
Abstract of records, 1800-1830; church records, I83O-I833.

See also Annu al Report of the Town Off ic ers , Town of
Russell . 1942 (n.p., l952;7"PP^""93-377

RUTLAND (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 9, 1727; its parish,
organized early in the nineteenth century, was dissolved
the time of the church's incorporation in 1891.

at

Ministers: Joseph Willard
Thomas Frink

Joseph Buckminster
Hezekiah Goodrich

Ruling elders: none.

(sett. 1721; d. 1723)
(ord. 1727; res. 1740;
d. 1777)

(ord. 1742; d. 1792)
(ord. 1793; d. 1812)

Deacons: Samuel Wright (e. 1728)
Joseph Stevens (e. 1728)

533

Eleazar Ball
Ephraim Davis
John Stone
John Reed 1
Jonas Howe
Samuel Davis

(e. 1738)
(e. 17*6)
e. 1753
e. 1772
e. 1772
e. 1783

Virtually all records antedating 1849 were destroyed in a
church fire in that year; the extant records are owned and
held by the church, unless otherwise noted,

VS - Minister's Marriage and Death Records, 1815-1817-
Owned and held by the American Antiquarian Society (Manu-
script Room), Worcester.

CR I - "Records of the First Congregational Church in Rut-
land. Commencing December 1:18*9." 18*9-1890.

CR II - Church Records, 1891-1918.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1857-
1891.

See also The History Articles of Fait h, C ovenant & Stand -
ing Rules of the First Congregational Shurch in Rutland ,
Fiass " Foftethe r with a Catalogue of Officers and Members ,
January 1, 185$ (Worcester, 1858); Manual of the First Con -
gregational Church , Rutland , Mass . Containing a History
of the Church , Form of Admission with Articles of Faith ,
By-Laws of the 5hurcE" 7 and a lost of the Officers and
Members' Tn.p. , 1<

RUTLAND DISTRICT, Church and Society (see Barre).

RUTLAND WEST WING Precinct (see Oakham).

1, Sometimes given as "Jonas Reed."

534

RYAL SIDE (see Beverly , Second).

SAGUS (see Lynn).

SALEM, First Congregational Society (U).

This, the first Non-Separatist Congregational church to
be organized on American soil, was gathered on (or, more
probably, shortly before) July 20, 1629. The Proprietors
of the Meeting House were organized in 1746, and the
First Congregational Society was incorporated in 1817.

Ministers: Samuel Skelton

Francis Higginson
Roger Williams

Hugh Peter
John Fiske

Edward Norris
John Higginson
Charles Nicholet
Nicholas Noyes
George Curwin
Samuel Fiske

(ord* pastor 1629;

d. 163^)

(ord. teacher 1629;

d. 1630)

(sett, as teacher 1631;

rem. to Plymouth 1631;

returned to Salem as

assistant 1633; dism.

1635; d. 1683)

(ord. pastor 1636; rem.

1641; d. 1660)

(sett, as assistant

1637, rem. 1640; d.

1676/77)

(ord. teacher 1639/40;

d. 1659)

(ord. pastor 1660; d.

1708)

(preached 1671-1672;

rem. 1672)

(ord. teacher 1683;

d. 1717)

(ord. pastor 1714; d.

1717)

(ord. 1718; dism. 1735
to become pastor of
Salem's Tabernacle Church;
d. 1770)

535

John Sparhawk
Thomas Barnard, A.M.
Asa Dunbar

John Prince, LL.D.

Ruling elders: Henry Houghton

Samuel Sharp

John Browne

ord. 1736; d. 1755)
inst. 1755; d. 1776)
ord. colleague 1772;
dism. 1779; d. 1787)
(ord. 1779; d. 1836)

Judge Benjamin Lynde, Sr. , Esq.

John Nutting

Benjamin Lynde, Esq.

Nathaniel Ropes

Sbenezer Putnam, Esq.

John Appleton

Ebenezer Bickford

(e. 1629;
d. 1630)
(e. 1630;
d. ca. 1647)
(e.1660;
res. 1664;
ret. to serv-
ice 1680;

d. 1685) 2
(e. 1736;

d. 175*)
(e. 1736;

res. 1771)
(e. 1754;
d. ca. 1784)
(e."T772;
d. ca. 1774)

(©•"177*1

d. 1788)
(e. 1782;
d. ca. 1816)

(e.T789; *
d. ca. 1816 Y

Deacons: Charles Gott (e. 1629; rem. 1653/54; d. 1667/68)
John Home (e. 1629; d. 1683/34)*

1. See B. P. B. , "Notices of Slder John Browne and Some of
His Descendents," BIHO , VIII (1866), 33-48.

2. The office of ruling elder was allowed to lapse from
1685 to 1736, being revived in the latter year to prevent
the power of office from coming to reside exclusively in
the hands of the minister.

3. Ruling elders were again elected in 1817-

4. Although the records for 1653/54-1679 are fragmentary,
some evidence exists to suggest that Richard Prince served
as a deacon at this time. See James A. Emmerton, "Deacon
Richard Prince of Salem, and Some of His Descendents, "
J5IHC, XIV (1877), PP. 249-256.

536

Milliard Veren
Sli Gidney 1
Benjamin Gerrish
John Marston

Capt. Simon Willard

Peter Osgood

Samuel Ropes
William Osgood
John Bickford
Joshua Ward

Abraham Gray
Lewis Hunt
Thomas Hartshorne

e. and ord. 1680; d. 1683)
e. and ord. 1680; d. 1683 ?)
e. 1684; ord. 1686; d. 1713)
e. 1684; ord. 1686;
d. ca. 1725)

(e.~T?13; rem. to Salem's
Second Church 1718; d. 1731)
(e. 1718; rem. -1735; returned
1736; a. 1753r
(e. 1736; d. 1761 ?)
(e. 1738)

(e. 1740; d. 1788)
(e. 1754; rem. to Salem's
North Church 1771; d. 1779)
e. 1772; d. 179D
e. 1789; d. 1797)
e. 1791 ; elev. to ruling
elder 1817; d. 1819)

Thomas Barnard, minister here from 1755 to 1776, remarked
that the early church records, 1629-1660, were missing at
the time of his installation. However, he apparently either
did not know of or did not count the Fiske records of 1637-
1640. And to some extent the lacuna can be filled by the
reports of Winthrop and other contemporaries of the Salem
congregation's early years.

The extant records are divided between the church and the
Essex Institute, Salem; items held by the latter repository
are designated by an asterisk (*).

Not listed below, but worthy of note are Charles Gott's des-
cription of the gathering of the church, in "Governour Brad-
ford's Letter Book," HH3C, 1st Ser. , III (1794; rep. 1810),
67-68; and "Fragment of a Diary Kept By Rev. Samuel Fiske
of Salem, 1719-1721," SIHC, LI (1915), 282-289, the original
being owned and held by the American Antiquarian Society,
Worcester.

CR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1629-1660. Sequestered by
vote of the church in 1660; lost by 1755-

1. Sometimes given as "Eleazar Gidney."

2. Osgood was a supporter of Rev. Samuel Fiske, and fol-
lowed his minister into separation from the church in 1735,
joining in the subsequent gathering of the (now) Tabernacle
Church of Salem. In 1736, Osgood led a number of erstwhile
Fiske supporters back to the ancient church, and was him-
self confirmed in his diaconal office.

537

CR I FISKE - "John Fiske ' s note-book." Minister's private
record, covering Salem 1637-1640, Wenham (1644-1655;, and
Chelmsford (1655-1675)-*

CR I FISKE COPY PULSIFER - "Salem Church ttecord 1637."
MS copy of CR I FISKE, made in 1857 by David Pulsifer.*

CR I FISKE PUB PULSIFER - David Pulsifer, "Extracts from
Records Kept by the Rev. John Fiske, during his Ministry at
Salem, Wenham and Chelmsford," EIHC, I (1859), 37-44.
Selective.

CR I FISKE COPY PULSIFER TS - "Rev. John Fiske ! s note-book
1637-1675." Typescript copy of CR I FISKE COPY PULSIFER.*

CR II - "Records of the First Church of Salem, from 1629 to
1736." Extracts from CR I and/or CR I FISKE; original
records, 1660-1743, with baptisms to 1748.

CR II COPY BARNARD - "Records of the first Church in Salem.
Copied by Thomas Barnard Pastor of sd Church. NB. The
Records of sd Church from AD 1629 to AD 1660 are probably
now utterly lost, as may appear from the Chh Votes Page
[ blank ] excepting the Chh Covenant in the following Page."*
Copy of church records, 1629, 1636, 1660-1772.*

CR I FISKE & CR II PUB WHITE - Daniel A. White, New England
Congregationalism in Its Origin and Purity ; Illustrated by
tne Foundation and Early Records of the First Church in
Salem , and Various Discussions Pertaining to the Subject
(Salem, 1861). A selective publication, with orthography
modernized •

1. A valuable record, this book consists in three distinct
parts: (a) Barnard's private copy of First Church records,
1629, 1636, 1660-1672; (b) records of lay officers of the
North Church of Salem, 1772-1773; (c) records of the North.
Church kept by the Rev. Thomas Barnard, Jr., 1773-1313.

2. An assessment of White's use of the records, together
with corrections of vital statistics printed therein, is
provided in James A. Emerton, "Notes and Extracts from the
'Records of the First Church of Salem, 1629 to 1736,'" EIHC ,
XV (1878), 70-85, XVI (1879), 8-18.

538

CR II COPY 1935 - "(9/15/35) Records of the First Church of
Salem 1629 to 1736." MS copy of GR II, made in 1935; 573
loose pages. *

CR II COPY 1935 TS - "Records of the First Church of Salem
1629 to 1736." Typescript copy of CR II COPY 1935; 4-16
loose pages.

CR III - Church Records, 1736-1835. 2

CR III DUP - Minister's Record of Church Acts, 1824-1829.

CR IV - "Records of First Church." MS copy of CR II-III;
church records, 1830-1877-

VS BAP PUB I - Henry Wheatland, "Baptisms of the First
Church in Salem ," EUiC , V (1864), 227-228, 237-244, VI
(1865), 12-16, 84-5^~119-128, 168-184, 221-232, 262-271,
VII (1866), 10-16, 75-82, 150-158, 205-215.

VS BAP PUB II - James A. Smmerton, "Salem Baptisms," EIHC,
XXII (1885), 177-192, 241-256, XXIII (1886), 1-16, 81^7
161-184, 241-280. Alphabetical listing of persons oaptized

in all Salem churches during the 18th century.

VS BAP - "Baptisms for the Year 1795- "

VS ADM I - Admissions, 1822-1879.

VS MAR I - "Record of Marriages by Samuel Fisk pastor of
the first church in Salem." 1718-1746 (from 1735, the rec-
ords pertain to the [now] Tabernacle Church of Salem).

VS MAR II - "Record of Marriages

1881-1921.

VS MOR - "Return this to S. B. Butt rick (Doct. Prince's
Mem.)." Bills of mortality, 1782-1835-

PROP I - "Records from Oct. 21st, 1746 to February 3d, 1816."
Records of the Proprietors of the Meeting House.

1. Identified by 3m il Oberholzer, Jr. , Delinquent Saints
(Hew York, 1956), p. 350, as the McSwiggxn copy.

2. Oberholzer, loc. cit . , claims that a typescript copy of
CR III, preparedTy WES typists, was held by the church,
but this could not be found.

539

PROP II - Proprietors Records, 1816-1846.

SR III - MISSING, Society Records, 1846-1862.

SR IV - "Records of the 'First Congregational Society in
Salem.' Vol. 3. 10-10-1862 — 8-15-1890."

SR V - Society Records, 1890-1923.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Accounts, 1662-1713* 1713-
1846, 1813-1886, 1817-1901; Accounts of Meeting House Fund,
1717-1722; Proprietors/Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1756-
1817, 1818-1858; Society Treasurer's Journals, 1840-1845,
1846-1853; Accounts of the Orne Bequest, 1827-1848; miscel-
laneous vols, entitled "Subscriber's to Rev. C. W. Upham's
Salary." 1825-1828, 1829, 1833-1836; Pew Accounts, 1812,
1835-1846, 184-6-1859, 1847-18^8, 184-9-1856, 1858, and general
accounts, 1836-1866; Pew List, 1820; Pew Deeds, 1846-1907;
Pew Sale Record, 1875-

SALEM, Second (U), extinct.

Long-standing concern for the creation of a second parish
in eastern Salem took organizational form in 1717, when
the "East Parish" opened its first book of records. Within
a year, a meetinghouse had been erected, and the Proprietors
of the Meeting House in the East Parish had come into being.
Further impetus was provided in 1713 by the settlement of
Samuel Fiske as pastor of the old Salem church, inasmuch as
dissatisfaction with Fiske was apparently localized here in
the East Parish. On Dec. 25, 1718, the old church granted
dismissions to those persons in its east parish who wished
to gather their own church, and so shortly thereafter, the
Second (East) Church came into being. 2

In 1954-1956, the small surviving membership of the Second
Church was absorbed by the First Church.

1. At some point during the years 1817-1862, independent
society records were begun, but the early volume(s ?) have
dropped from sight.

2. Some authorities date the church's gathering on Nov. 14,
1718, but we suspect that that is the day on which the body
known as the Proprietors was organized.

5±Q

Ministers:

Robert Sta(u)nton
William Jennison

James Diman

William Bentley, D.D.

ford. 1719; d. 1727)

Cord. 1728; dism. 1736;
d. 1750)

(ord. 1737; d. 1788)

(ord. 1783; d. 1819)

Lay officers: lacking any early records, little is known
of the lay officers of this church.

Deacons: Deacon Simon Willard

Wardens :

Richard Elvins

Capt. Benjamin Ward
William Brown

(e. deacon Salem First 1713;

a founder of Salem Second

1718; d. 1731)

(ra. 1728; rem. 1744-;

d. 1776) 1

(e. 1786; m. 1791)
(e. 1786; m. 1791)

The church records for the yeaxs prior to 1897 have not been
found, although at least some 18th century records were ex-
tant in 1792.5 The extant records are divided between the
First Church of Salem and the Essex Institute; items held
by the latter repository are designated by an asterisk (*).
Not listed below, but worthy of note is The Diary of William
Bent ley , D.D., Pastor of the East Church , Salem , Massachu -
setts , 4 vols. CGloucester, Mass., 1962, being a photo-
offset copy of the 1905 edition). A large collection of

1. "This Richard [Elvins] was a Baker in the eastern part
of Salem & Deacon in the East Meeting House. During the
life of U. Jennison, the Minister, he was often called to
officiate, as Jennison was very eccentric. When he had
begun he was unwilling to quit & therefore went eastward to
preach & was ordained at Black point [i.e., Scarborough,
Me., Second Parish], & married the widow of the Minister
deceased, who was the mother of the present President
Willard of Cambridge." The Diary of William Bentley , D.D.
(Gloucester, Mass., 1962T^~II, p. 316. Elvins was a New
Light in his theology.

2. A post created by the Proprietors in 1786, intended as
an office analogous to that of the deacon in the church.

3. The Diary of William Bentley , D.D. (Gloucester, Mass.,
1962JT*. PP. ^^WT> " "

5*1

Bentley's papers is owned and held by the American Anti-
quarian Society, Worcester, including the minister's records
of some church and parish happenings from 1784 to 1819-

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1718-1897-

CR II - "Records. The Second Church in Salem, 1897." 1897-
1927.

VS I - "East Church Salem 1784-1851." Vital statistics
include: baptisms, 1784-1848; marriages, 1783-1853; list
of families, 1868-1874.*

VS I DUP BAP - "Record of Baptisms." Duplicate, 1784-1848.

VS I BENTLEY - "East Church Salem. 1785-1819- Births
Marriages Deaths." (Flyleaf: "Duplicate Records of the
Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths, &c. in the East Parish, Salem,
kept by Their late Pastor, William Bentley, for his private
use.") With notes of church meetings, 1827, 1842.

VS I BENTLEY KOR PUB - "Parish list of Deaths Begun 1785,
Recorded by Rev. William Bentley, D.D., of the East Church,
Salem, Mass.," EIHC, XIV (1876), 129-148, 224-232, 286-298.
XV (1877), 86-l5ff7"XVI (1879), 18-36, 191-203, XVIII (1881),
73-80, 129-144, 206-223, XIX (1882), 18-39, 91-104, 176-182,
XX (1883), 209-214. 1785-1819.

VS BAP PUB - James A. Emmerton, "Salem Baptisms," EIHC ,
XXII (1885), 177-192, 241-256, XXIII (1886), 1-16, "51^96,
161-184, 241-280. Alphabetical listing of persons baptized
in all Salem churches during the 18th century.

VS II - Admissions, 1822-1868.*

VS III - Vital Statistics, 1851-1953-

PR I - "East Church Salem. 1717-1757." Parish records.*

PR II - "East Church. 1757-1792." Parish records.*

PROP I - "East Meeting House Salem. Proprietors. 1783-
1845." Proprietors records.*

1. Offprinted as Record of the Parish List of Deaths , 1785 -
1819 (Salem, 1882).

542

PROP II - "Ledger [sicl- East Society,
records, 1846-1899 - T ~

SRI- "East Church Salem. 1821-1831."
largely charitable collections.'

1845." Proprietors

Society records,

Miscellaneous records (*): Church Treasurer's Accounts,
1722-1726, 1786-1863, 1792-1829; Parish Assessors 1 Rate
Books, 1718, 1719-1720, 1720-1721, 1721-1722, 1723, 1729-
1733* 1781-1782, 1781-1791, 1783-1800, 1801-1827, 1849-1852,
1859-1867, 1875-1887, 1887-1897; Parish Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1762-1812, Proprietors Treasurer's Accounts, 1786-
1829, Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1821-1846, 1846-1896,
1867-1875; Pew Deeds, 1846-1864, 1897-1900; Pew Accounts,
1827-1846, 1847-1850, 1853-1859; Records of the Parish
Building Committee, 1844, 1844-1846.

See also the volume entitled "Salem,
Church. Sermons, and records of East
owned and held by the Essex Institute
no records are included in the volume
further James Flint, Two Discourses ,
L eave of the Old Church of the East S
December 557 TS?5 (Salem, 1555) and A
on the Dedication of the New Church ,""
the E ast Church and Society, in Salem
r3£le~l5S5y:

Mass. Churches. East
Church. Salem, 1898,"

• Some memoranda but
in question. See

Delivered on Taking

ociety in Salem ;
Discourse Delivered

Built for ~the Use of

; January 1, 1846

SALEM, Third (Tabernacle) Church (C). 1

Samuel Fiske's authoritarian ways as pastor of Salem's First
Church provoked a minority of that church's membership to
first invoke the aid of an ecclesiastical council and then
to obtain legislative aid, the effect of which was Fiske's

1. C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England ,
1240-1800 (New Haven and London, 1962;, p. 3l7T"incorrectly
associates Richard Elvins (see SALEM, Second) with this
church, and misunderstands the relation between the names
"Third Church" and "Tabernacle Church."

5*3

dismissal in 1735 from the ministry of the First Church.
Piske and his supporters, however, continued to meet and
for the next twenty years styled themselves "the First
Church." 1 It appears that the Fiske faction considered
April 18, 1735 the date of their formal separation from
their antagonists.

Fiske 's successor, Dudley Leavitt, alienated many of the
Fiske party. These returned to the ancient church in
sufficient numbers so that "by 1755, the parent body could
claim a majority of the church membership that had existed
in 1735- Therefore, in 1755 the ancient church voted to
"take on them in all the public transactions the title of
the First church of Salem. "

The Fiske church voted in 1762 to surrender the title of
"First Church" in exchange for a portion of the church
plate and lands, and henceforth to be known as "The Third
Church of Salem." Before 1800, it had become popularly
known as Tabernacle Church.

The Proprietors twice received incorporation, in 1781 as
"The Proprietors of the Meeting House and Land where the
Reverend Doctor Nathaniel Whitaker now preaches," and in
1834- as "The Proprietors of the Tabernacle Church."

Ministers: Samuel Fiske

(ord. Salem
dism. 1735;
Third 1735;
d. 1770)
(ord. 17^5;
(ord. 1763;
D.D. (sett. 1769;
d. 1795)
(ord. 1785;
and rem. to
Presbyterian
d. 1825)
Samuel Worcester, D.D. (inst. 1803;

Dudley Leavitt
John Huntington
Nathaniel Whitaker,

Joshua Spaulding

First 1718;
sett. Salem
dism. 174-5;

d. 1762)
d. 1766)
dism. 1784;

dism. 1802
form a
church;

d. 1821)

Ruling eldership: instituting the ruling eldership in 1769,
the church voted the unusual provision that the eldership
should be subject to annual election to office. The follow-
ing elections are known to have been held:

1. On this phase of the church's history rests the present
claim of Tabernacle Church to the founding date of 1629.

2. A title later challenged by Salem's South Church.

544-

Capt. John Gardner, Deacon James Ruck, Thorndike Proctor,

Jacob Ashton, Benjamin Ropes, e. 1769-

Elders Gardner and Ropes, Miles Ward, Edward Dickford,

John Saunders, Richard Lang, e. 1770.

Elders Ward, Gardner, Saunders, Lang, Benjamin Punchard,

Ebenezer Warren, e. 1771-

Elder Ward, Benjamin Cox, John Cloutman, Abijah Estes,

Hubertus Mat to on, e. 1772.

Elders Ward, Cloutman, Estes, Mattoon.. e. 1773-

Elders Ward, Mattoon, Cloutman, Lang, x Samuel Punchard,

e. 1774.

No election held in 1775-

Elders Ward, Cloutman, Mattoon, Joseph Hiller, Samuel Jones,

e. 1776.

No elections held 1777-1779.

Elders Ward, Cloutman, Jones, Hiller, e. 1780.

No election held in 1781.

Elders Ward, Hiller, Jonathan Treland, Hubert Oliver,

William Safford, e. 1782.

No elections held 1783-1785-

Elders Jones, Safford, e. 1786. Jones hereaXter held this

office until his death in 1797; Safford is mentioned as an

elder in 1803-

Dan Farrington, e. 1797-

Hubertus Mattoon, m. as elder, 1800.

Deacons: James Ruck

Timothy Pickering

Jacob Ashton
Benjamin Ropes

Miles Ward
Hubertus Mattoon

James Gould
Benjamin Punchard
Joseph Ross

(m. 1744; ruling elder 1769;

d. 1774)

(m. 1745; m. 1765 as having

demitted his office; suspended

from membership 1774)

(e. 1759; ruling elder 1769;

m. 1770)

(e. 1765; ruling elder 1769-

1770; dism. to Salem's South.

Church 1775; m. 1781)

(e. 1774; ruling elder 1770-

1782; m. 1786)

(e. 1774; ruling elder 1772-

1800)

(m. 1783-1788)

(e. 1786; ruling elder 1771)

(e. 1786; re-e. 1795; d. 1818)

1. Lang was dismissed to Salem's South Church in 1775 and
is mentioned there in 1805.

545

John Adams (e. 1795; d. 1837)
William Safford (m. 1804; d. 1847)
Nehemiah Adams (e. 1804; d. 1840)

There are no church records antedating 1743; the extant
records are owned and held by the church unless otherwise
noted.

OR I - "Tabernacle Church Records 1. 1743 to 1833- "
(Flyleaf: "Book of Records of the First Church C sic ] in
Salem. Begun February y 20th 1743."

CR I CLERK - "Journal of the proceedings of the Tabernacle
Church in Salem begun Feby 20th 1804 Kept by John Punchard
Scribe." Church clerk's records, 1804-1814.

CR II - "Tabernacle Church Records 2. From 1833 to 1863- "

CR II DUP - Church Records, 1833-1834.

CR III - "Tabernacle Church Records 3*" From 1864 to 1898 •"

CR IV - "Tabernacle Church Records 4. From 1899 to ."
1899-1919.

VS I - "General Record." Admissions (incomplete), 1756-
1824; other vital statistics, 1819-1824. Two MS copies.

VS II - "Record of Admissions, Dismissions, &c of Members
of the Tabernacle Church; Records of S. Worcester. D.D. and
Rev. E. Cornelius." Vital statistics (incomplete), 1770-
1950.

VS 3AP PUB - James A. Emmerton, "Salem Baptisms," EIHC, XXII
(1885), 177-192, 241-256, XXIII (1886), 1-16, 81-957~161-
184, 241-280. Alphabetical listing of persons baptized in
all Salem churches during the 18th century.

VS III - Baptismal and Death Records, 1803-1815.

VS IV - "Record of Baptisms." 1803-1818.

VS V - "Record of Deaths." 1816-1818.

1. A lack reported as early as 1800. See SALEK, Third
Church, CR I, n.p.

546

VS VI - "Tabernacle Church List of Members (1822-1919
only.)"

VS VII - "Tabernacle Church List of Members." 1859-1962.

VS VIII - "Church and Parish List." 1861-1871. Owned and
held by Essex Institute, Salem.

VS IX - "List of Church Members on and sifter 1 January 1874.
1874-1877-

VS X - "Tabernacle Church List of Members.
PROP I - Proprietors Records, 1778-1795-

1884.

PROP II - "Records of the Proprietors of the Tabernacle
From 1795 to ." 1795-1850.

SR III - "Records. Tabernacle Society." Proprietors/
Society records, 1851-1885.

SR IV - "Records. Tabernacle Society." 1886-1921.

S VS I - "A List of the Tabernacle Society, Salem. Jan.
1805."

S VS II - "Census of the Tabernacle Society for 1819."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1812-
1878, 1846-1858 (both owned and held by the Essex Institute);
Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1810-1831, 1813-1817, 1818-
1875 (owned and held by the Essex Institute), 1876-1908,
1880-1907, receipt book 1804-1818; Society Standing Com-
mittee Records, 1833-1841, 1841-1893, 1894-1917; Pew Deeds,
1855-1906; Proprietors Rate Book, 1813-1817-

While it is not possible to cite here the wealth of pub-
lished material on the history of Tabernacle Church, atten-
tion is called to three MSS owned and held by the church:
" A Rehearsal of the Settlement and State of the Tabernacle
Church in Salem, addressed to the Assistants and Brethren
composing the Conference, Opened July 28th AD. 1801," by
Joshua Spaulding; "Declaratory Articles, adopted by the
Tabernacle Church, Jan. 1805," by Samuel Worcester; "Memoir
of the Tabernacle Church, in Salem . . . 1833," by John
Punchard.

5*7

SALEM, North (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on July 19, 1772. The Proprietors
of the North Meeting House, organized earlier the same
year, received incorporation in 1802. In 1925, the church
and its parish were absorbed by the First Church of Salem.

Minister: Thomas Barnard, D.D. (ord. 1773; d. 1814)

Ruling elders:

Elder John Nutting^
Deacon Joshua Ward
Dr. Edward A. Holyoke
Samuel Holman
[Jacob Aston

(e. 1772; d. 1790)

(e. 1772; d. 1779)

(e. 1783; d. 1829)

(e. 1793; d. 1825) ,

(e. 1826; d. 1829) 3^

Deacons:

James Gould
Samuel Holman
Jacob Sanderson

(e. 1772; dism. 1783)
(e. 1772; d. 1825)*
(e, 1785; d. 1810)

The records are owned and held by the First Church of Salem,
unless otherwise noted.

CR I - "Records of the first Church in Salem. Copied by
Thomas Barnard Pastor of sd Church. KB. The Records of sd
Church from AD 1629 to AD 1660 are probably now utterly
lost, as may appear from the Church Votes Page [ blank ] ex-
cepting the Chh Covenant in the following Page."
This is the volume listed under SALEM, First Congregational
Society, as "CR II COPY BARNARD." Owned and held by the
Essex Institute, Salem.

The first part of the book contains Barnard's copy of First
church records, 1629, 1636, 1660-1772. (b) The second part
consists in records kept by lay officers of the North Church
of Salem, 1772-1773; (c) the third part contains records of
the North Church kept by the Rev. Thomas Barnard, Jr.,
1773-1813.

1. For thirty-five years previous, a ruling elder of the
First Church of Salem.

2. For twenty years previous, a deacon of the First Church
of Salem.

3. The last ruling elder employed by the church.

4. Holman filled both the deacon's role and that of ruling
elder from 1793 until his death in 1825.

548

CR II - "Records North Church Salem." 1814-1923.

VS BAP PUB - James A. Emmerton, "Salem Baptisms," EIHC,
XXII (1885), 177-192, 241-256, XXIII (1886), 1-16, "51^96,
161-184, 241-280. Alphabetical listing of persons baptized
in all Salem churches during the 18th century.

VS I - "Covenant North Church Salem." Copy of covenants,
members signatures, 1815-1923-

VS II - "Baptisms." 1815-1924; also contains bills of
mortality, 1855-1924.

VS III - "Record of Marriages by Thomas Barnard Pastor of
the North Church in Salem." 1773-1886.

VS IV - "Record of Marriages in the North Society, or by,
E. B. Willson, Pastor of the Society." 1887-1923.

VS IV DUP - "Record of Marriages." 1881-1895.

PROP I - "Records North Society." Proprietors records,
1773-1836.

PROP II - Proprietors Records, 1836-1923.

PROP VS - Proprietors/Society Lists, 1816 and 1888-1892.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1786-
1808, 1805-1810, 1815-1902, 1815-1823, 1815-1820, 1846-
1871; Pew Tax Accounts, 1793-1801, 1796-1798, 1801-1802,
1804-1832, 1810-1826, 1813-1826, 1837-1843, 1872-1895;
Meeting House Building Fund Subscription list, 1834-1836.

SALEM, South (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 14, 1775 by persons
separating from the Third (now Tabernacle) Church of Salem.
The church of 1775, however, by virtue of the advice of an
ex parte council styled itself the "Third Church," and con-
tinued to claim that title until the close of the 19th

549

century. The Proprietors of the New South Meeting House
received incorporation in 1805 » and were reincorporated as
the Proprietors of the South Church in Salem in 1838.
In 1924, the 1775 church merged with Salem's Tabernacle
Church, under the name of the latter body.

Ministers: Daniel Hopkins, D.D. (sett. 1775; ord. 1778;

d. 1814)
Brown Emerson (ord. 1805; d* 1872)

Ruling elders:

Benjamin Goodhue
Deacon Benjamin Ropes
Deacon Richard Lang
Edward Norris
Nathaniel Batchelder

(e. 1776; d. 1783)
(e. 1778; m. 1781)
(e. 1783; m. 1805)
(e. 1786)
(e. 1796 as both
ruling elder and
deacon; ra. 1805)

Deacons:

Deacon and ruling elder
Benjamin Ropes

Ruling elder Richard Lang

Nathaniel Batchelder

(e. deacon Tabernacle
Church 1765; dism. to
South Church 1775; e.
confirmed by South
Church 1776; elev. to
ruling elder 1778;
m. 1781)

(e. ruling elder Taber-
nacle Church 1770;
dism. to South Church
1775; e. deacon 1776;
elev. to ruling elder
1783; m. 1805)
(e. 17% as both ruling
elder and deacon;
m. 1805)

The records are owned and held by Tabernacle Church, Salem,
unless otherwise indicated.

CR I - "Records of the 3d Chh of Christ in Salem 1775- "
1775-1822.

VS BAP PUB - James A. Enmerton, "Salem Baptisms," EIHC ,
XXII (1885), 177-192, 241-256, XXIII (1886), 1-16, "51=96,
161-184, 241-280. Alphabetical listing of persons baptized
in all Salem churches during the 18th century.

550

VS MAR PUB - John J. letting, "Marriages in Salem by Rev.
Daniel Hopkins, D.D., 1779-1814, " EIHC, XIX (1882), 116-125-

CR II - "Continuation of the Records of the Third Church of
Christ in Salem, Mass. (viz) from March 10th AD. 1825 to
December 25th A.D. 1838."

CR III - "Continuation of the Records of the Third Church
of Christ in Salem, Massachusetts; viz. from January 1st.
A.D. 1839, to December 27th, A.D. 1864." 1839-1874.

CR IV - "Records of the 'Third Congregational Church of
Christ in Salem, Mass. 1 continued." 1875-1885.

CR V - "Records. Records of the Third Congregational Church
in Salem, Mass." 1885-1906.

VS - "South Church Salem 1899." Vital statistics (incom-
plete), 1825-1924.

PROP I - "Book belonging to the Proprietors of the South
Meeting House & Lands in Salem." 1774-1805.

PROP II - Proprietors Records, 1802-1882.

PROP III - "Proprietors Records. South Church, Salem.
1883." 1883-1924.

Miscellaneous records: Proprietors Treasurer's Accounts,
1891-1902; Pew Accounts, 1790-1804 (owned and held by Essex
Institute, Salem), 1805-1858; Tax Delinquents list, 1797-
1805 (owned and held by Essex Institute;.

SALEM, Branch or Howard Street Church (C/P/C), extinct.

The Branch Church was gathered on Dec. 29, 1803, by persons
who had left Salem's Tabernacle Church when Rev. Joshua
Spaulding was dismissed from his pastorate there. From
1815 to 1828, the church was statedly Presbyterian, receiv-
ing incorporation as such in 1824. In 1828, it returned to
Congregational principles, was reincorporated and its name

551

changed to the Howard Street Church. The Branch Society
had been incorporated in 1805.

The last settled minister left in 1864, and the church
buildings and lands were auctioned off in 1867.

Minister: Joshua Spaulding (inst. 1805; res. 1814;

a. 1825)

Ruling

elders: no record of any

Deacons: Daniel Farrington
Thomas Lams on

Israel Freeman

(m. 1803; rem. 1812; d. 1813) 1

co-

Cm. as Farrington' s

deacon")

(appointed deacon to oversee

the large Negro membership of

the church by Rev. Spaulding)

The bulk of the church's records dropped from sight ca.
1867; the extant records are owned and held by Essex
Institute, Salem.

VS I - "Branch Church Vital Records. 1821-1832." (Fly-
leaf: "The Register of the Branch Church and of the First
Presbyterian Church in Salem, Massachusetts.' 1 ) Admissions,
1803-1832; baptisms, 1821-1832.

VS II - "Record of Families." 1803-1832.

PROP I - "Branch or Howard St. Church
Proprietors records, 1805-1848.

Salem 1805-4S.

See also Covenant of the Branch Church in Salem (Salem,
1804 ?); Joshua Spaulding, The House of~Sod: A Serm on
Delivered at the Opening; of the Br ancE~ C nurch in Salem :
February 6, A.D. 180£ (Salem, 1805); Covenant and Rules and
Regulations of the Howard Street Church in Salem (Salem,
I830;; Result of an Ecclesiastical Council Convened in the
Vestry of the Howard St. C hurchT "SaTem, on Wednesday ,
July 22, 1831 (Boston, I83IJ; A Short Correspondence between
The Howar d Street Church and an Aggrieved M ember (Salem,
1835); Covenan t, Rules and Regulations of The Howard Street
Church , in Salem , with a Catalogue of Its Mem bers In May,

1. Farrington conducted occasional services for the church
from 1803 to 1805, and is sometimes designated "senior
elder."

552

1844 (Andover, 1844); The Result of an Ecclesiastical Coun -
cil , Convened at Salem , Massachusetts , December 4, 184^ ~
"(Salem, l5$0~and Boston, 1850;; C. C. Beaman, "TEe Branch,
or Howard St. Church," EIHC, III (1861), 272-283; C. C.
Beaman, "The Closing History of the Branch or Howard Street
Church in Salem," EIHC, XI (1872), 243-248; Irving K.
Annable, "Historical Notes of the Crombie Street Congrega-
tional Church, Salem, Massachusetts," EIHC , LXXVII (1941),
203-217.

SALEM, Bass River, Church (see Beverly, First Parish)

SALEM, Confederate Society, Church and Parish (see Salem,
First and Salem, Tabernacle).

SALEM, East Church and Parish/Society (see Salem, Second)

SALEM, Farms (see Danvers).

553

SALEM, First Church and Society (see Salem, First and
Salem, Tabernacle).

SALEM, Howard Street Church (see Salem, Branch Church)

SALEM, Middle Precinct and Parish (see Peabody, South).

SALEM, North Side of the Ferry (see Beverly, First Parish).

SALEM, Third Church (see Salem, Tabernacle and Salem, South)

SALEM, Third Church (see Peabody, South).

554

SALEM AND BEVERLY, Precinct (see Beverly, Second)

SALEM VILLAGE, Church and First Parish (see Danvers).

SALISBURY, First (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1638. A second center of popu-
lation eventually developed in the western part of the town,
so that in 1714 the town voted to support two meetinghouses
(each with its own minister) while maintaining a single
parish. The 1638 church became known as the "First (or
East) Church in Salisbury," while the "Second Church" was
that gathered in 1718 in what is now the Rocky Hill section
of Amesbury.

In 1787 i the ministers of both churches pressed the town for
adjustments in their salaries, the currency being greatly
depreciated at this time. In 1790, the town voted to dis-
miss the First Church pastor, Edmund Noyes, and proceeded
(quite unsuccessfully) to invite candidates to fill his
place. Noyes evidently refused to recognize his dismissal,
and continued to minister at Salisbury until his death in
1809.

By 1802, Methodism had become so dominant in the First
Church area that the church voted to allow the use of the
meetinghouse to the Methodists half of the time. In 1807
this was changed to allow the Methodists full-time use of
the building. Finally, in 1833, the Congregationalists
sold the church properties to the Methodists, and as many
as could inpconscience do so, became members of the Method-
ist church.

1. The Rocky Hill area became part of Amesbury in 1886.

2. Those unwilling to become Methodists affiliated with
Congregational churches in Newburyport.

555

The parish, known as the First or East Parish of Salisbury,
had been incorporated in 1793; it continued through the
change of denominations, and operates today under Methodist
auspices.

Ministers:

William Worcester
John Wheelwright
James Ailing
Caleb Cushing
Edmund Noyes

(sett. 1639; d. 1662)
(inst. 1662; d. 1679)
Cord- 1687; d. 1695/96)
(ord. 1698; d. 1752)
(ord. 1751; dism. by town
1790; d. 1809)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Henry Brown

Capt. William Buswell
Henry True
Lt. Nathaniel Brown
William Bradbury
Jabez True
Moses Merrill
Nathaniel Fitts
Buswell

Samuel True
Jackman

(m. 1688-1695)

(m. 1691)

!e. 1700"

e. 1700

e. 1721

(e. 1721; m. 1728

e. 174-9; m. 1752

e. 17^9; m. 1757

.m. 1757)

(m. 1771-1803)

(m. 1771)

The records antedating 1687 were reported lost in 1865;
the extant records are scattered.

CR I - "Salisbury, Mass. Church Records 1687-1752."
Owned and held by the Massachusetts Historical Society,
Boston.

CR I PUB - William P. Upham, "Records of The First Church

at Salisbury, Mass., 1687-1754," EIHC, XVI (1879), 55-68,

150-160, 203-212, 290-301. Some church votes, but concen-
trates on vital statistics.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1752-1833.

VS II PUB - William P. Upham, "Records of the First Church
at Salisbury, Mass., 1752-1805." EIHC, XXI (1884), 131-151
Vital statistics only.

1. See Essex North Association, Contributions to the Eccle
siastical His tory of Essex County 7~fcas 3 . (. Boston , 18b 577
p. 224.

556

PR I - Parish Records, 1793-1888. Owned and held by the
East Parish of Salisbury (Methodist).

See also David W. Hoyt, The Old Families of Salisbury and
Ames bury , 4 vols. (ProvicTence, R.I. ,1897, l5o2, 1916,~T9l9),
especially II, p. 418, where he claims to incorporate the
Upham publications in his own work, and I, p. 24, the frag-
ment of the Upham material that actually did appear in Hoyt.

SALISBURY, East Church and Parish (see Salisbury, First).

SALISBURY, Second Church and Parish (see Amesbury, Rocky

Hill).

SALISBURY, West Church and Parish (see Amesbury, Rocky Hill)

SANCHACANTACKET (or Sanchekantacket or Sengekontaket) Indian
Congregational Church (see Oak Bluffs, Sanchacantacket
Indian Congregational Church).

557

SANDISFIELD, First (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb, 24, 1756- After the
destruction of the church building (and records) by fire
ca. 1909, the church became inactive and finally extinct.

Ministers :

Cornelius Jones
Eleazar Storrs

Levi White

(ord. 1756; rem. 1761; d. 1803)

(ord. 1766; dism. 1797;

d. 1810)

(ord. 1798; dism. 1832:

d. 1836)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the fragmentary nature of the records, only
a few names have survived. It is not known if Deacon Samuel
Smith (admitted to membership from Hawley in 1759) or Deacon
Samuel Smith (admitted from Springfield's Fourth Church in
1766) served as deacons at Sandisfield.

Deacon Phineas Kingsberry

Capt. Lemuel Smith

Thomas

Brown

(adm. from Hart land 1778;
m. as deacon here 1790)
(e. 1798
(m. 1801
(m. 1801

The original records were apparently destroyed in the fire
already mentioned; a copy made before the fire survives.

CR I COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Sandisfield, Mass. Cong.
Church." Votes for 1756, 1798-1801, and 1816-1900; vital:
statistics are more complete.

See also A History of the County of Berkshire , Massachusetts ;
in Two Parts CPittsfTeI57 1829;, pp. 298-304; Town of Sandis-
rleld7 Sandisfield Bicentennial 1762-1962 (Winsted, Ct.,
1962).

1. A Mr. Dudley K was elected to the Sandisfield

diaconate in 1801, but a tear in the original records (since
lost) prevents our knowing his last name.

558

SANDWICH, Federated Church (C & U).

The church was gathered in 1638. Early in the 19th century,
the First Parish opted for Uhitarianism, and the Trinitarian
church members withdrew. More recently, the two churches
have federated into a single body.

Ministers: William Leverich

John Smith

Rowland Cotton
Benjamin Fessenden
Abraham Williams
Jonathan Burr

(sett. ca. 1638: rem. 1654:
d. 1677F

(ord. 1675; dism. 1688;
d. between 1710 and 1719)
(ord. 16?A; d. 1722)
(ord. 1722; d. 1746)
(ord. 1749; d. 1784)
(ord. 1787; dism. by First
Parish 1811 but ministered
to the Trinitarian church
members until dism. 1817;
d. 1842)

Ruling elders : none .

Deacons: none known prior to 1700

Thomas Tobey
Samuel Prince
Elisha Bourne
Timothy Bourne
Israel Tupper
Cornelius Tobey

Elijah Perry
Thomas Smith

Ephraim Ellis
Cornelius Tobey, Jr.
Thomas Bassett

Sylvanus Nye
Daniel Perry
Lemuel Freeman

(m. 1700:
(e. 1700)
(e. 1700)
(e. 1710:
(m. 1730)
(e. 1740;
1774; d.
(e. 1740;
(e. 1758;
1774)
(e. 1774;
(e. 1774;
(e. 1774;
1796; d.
(e. 1779;
(e. 1796:
(e. 1796)

d. 1710)

d. 1750)

excommunicated
1792)
d. 1773)
excommunicated

d. 1783)
d. 1778)
excommunicated
1809)
d. after 1806)
d. after 1808)

The records antedating 1694 were reported lost in 1802;
the extant records are scattered.

1. See Wendell Davis, "Description of Sandwich, in the
County of Barnstable," MHSC, 1st Ser. , VIII (1802; rep.
1846), 119-126.

559

OR I - "First Church Records, Sandwich, Mass." 1695-1830.
Owned and held by the New England Historic Genealogical
Society, Boston. Also a complete ohotostat copy or CR I,
owned and held by the Society.

VS I - John G. Locke, "Records or Marriages, Baptisms and
Deaths, Copied from the Diary of the Rev. Benjamin Fessenden,
who was ordained at Sandwich, Mass., Sept. 12, 1722," NEHGR,
XII (1858), 311-312. Marriages, 1722-1727; baptisms, 1722-
1723; deaths, 1723-1734.

VS II - John G. Locke, "Extracts from Rev. Benjamin
Fessenden 1 s Manuscript," NEHGR, XIII (1859), 30-33. Sand-
wich families, 1730.

VS III - Florence C. Howes, "Dismissions from the First
Church of Sandwich, Mass., 174-9-1818," NEHGR , CXI (1957),
29-30.

PR I - "1786." Parish records, 1786-1832. Owned and held
by the New England Historic Genealogical Society.

The Unitarian side of the church owns and holds the follow-
ing items :

CR (U) I - "Records of the First Church of Christ in
Sandwich, 1812." 1812-1908.

CR (U) II - "First Parish Church Records." 1853-1955.

PR (U) I - Parish Records, 1787-1890.

The Congregational side of the church owns and holds the
following items:

CR (C) I - "Records of the First or Ancient Congrega-
tional Church in Sandwich." Memoranda, 1638-1313;
records, 1813-1853.

CR (C) II - "Vol. 2 of The Records of the First or
Ancient Congregational Church of Sandwich, now called
the 'Calvinistic Cong. Church.'" 1854-1953.

SR (C) I - "Calvinistic Congregational Society Rec-
ords." Memoranda, 1638-1813; records, 1813-1871.

See also Gideon Hawley, "Biographical and Topographical
Anecdotes respecting Sandwich and Marshpee , Jan. 1794,"

560

MgSO , 1st Ser. , III (1794-; rep- 1810), 188-193; Wendell
Davis , op. cit . ; Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod ,
2 vols. (Boston, 1860-1862); Frederick Freeman, articles"Tn
Yarmouth Register, May 12, 1877 to Aug. 11, 1877; Ambrose E.
Pratt , Two Hundre d and Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration of
S andwich and Bourne, at*~ 5andwich , Massachusetts , Septem-
ber 2, 1855" (Falmouth, 1890 J.

SANDWICH, Second (C), extinct.

This New Light church was gathered at Scusset in Sandwich
on March 12, 1734-/35- After its minister's removal in 174-5,
its members drifted back to Sandwich's First Church or
affiliated with the church at Wareham.

Minister: Francis Wooster, Jr. (ord. 1735; dism. 174-5;

d. 1783)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Jirah Swift
Eliakim Tupper

Haskel

Josiah Swift

(e. 1735)

(e. 1735; dism. 1736 ?)
(adm. to membership 1739)
(e. 1736)

The only known records are those owned and held by the
Massachusetts Historical Society as part of the Davis Papers.

CR I - Church Records, entitled "the chh record to be cept."
Eight pages, covering 173V35-174-5 ; largely vital statistics,
a few votes. In box, "Davis Papers II, 1681-174-7."

Miscellaneous records: in the Davis Papers, there is also
a result of the ecclesiastical council which recommended
Wooster 1 s dismissal from the pastorate in 174-5; a third
item, catalogued under Wooster "s name by the Society
Library, contains the result of the ecclesiastical council
of March 12, 173V35 which first voted to embody this church.

561

SANDWICH, Second Precinct (see Bourne)

SANDWICH, Herring Pond(s) Indian Congregational Church
(see Bourne, Herring Pond(s) Indian Congregational Church).

SANDWICH, Pocasset or Pokesit Praying Town and Church (see
Bourne, Pocasset or Pokesit Praying Town and Church).

SANDY BAY, Church (see Rockport).

SANDY HILL Church (see Amesbury, First Church)

SAUGUS, First Congregational Parish (U-U).
First Congregational Church (C).

The exact date of the church's gathering is uncertain, but
it can be said that as early as the fall of 1737 or as late
as Dec. 5* 1739* it was organized as the Third Church in

562

Lynn. The Proprietors of the Meeting House had been organ-
ized in 1736. A petition to be set off as a distinct par-
ish, filed Oct. 25, 1737, was denied by the General Court,
but permission was granted to the petitioners to hold wor-
ship apart from the First and Second Churches. Not until
1749 was the forming of an independent parish authorized.
Lynn's ancient church had been gathered in 1632, and its
Second Church in 1720. In 1782, the Second Parish was in-
corporated as the town of Lynnfield, and the Third Church
and Parish were designated the Second or West in Lynn. In
1815, the latter area became the town of Saugus, and the
parish and church received the title, "First."
From 1817 to 1836, lack of financial support prompted the
parish to vote freedom of the pulpit to any minister who
would preach without cost to the parish. Unitarian, and
then Universalist preaching was heard, so that in 1832 the
orthodox contingent withdrew to form its own church and
society (although laying claim to the founding date 1732
down to the present day). The First Parish and its church,
by then distinctively Universalist, underwent several re-
organizations in 1837, 1861, and 1876. More recently, it
has merged with a Unitarian church of nineteenth century
origin.

Ministers: Edward Cheever

Joseph Roby
William Frothingham

(ord. 1739; dism. 1747;
d. 179^)

(ord. 1752; d. 1803)
(ord. 1804; dism. 1817;
d. 1852)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Haven

Thomas Douglas
Abijah Cheever
Benjamin Willey
Francis Smith
Sphraim Rhoads

m.
m.

i m *
m.

m.

m.

1739-17^5)

1739-1746; res. 1750 ?)

1754-1775)
1754)

1771-1733)
1780)

The early records of the church have dropped from sight
since 1887, when they were quoted by the author of a news-
paper feature article. 1 The only extant records are owned

1. Benjamin N. Johnson, "1737-1887 Third Church in Lynn.
Historical Address Delivered by Benjamin N. Johnson. Begin-
ning of Church Worship in 'the West End of Lynn. 1 150th
Anniversary Observance at Saugus, Oct. 13, 1887." Newspaper
unidentified; clipping pasted into PR III.

563

and held by the First Congregational Parish,
wise noted.

unless other-

CR - Church Records, 1837-1952 (lacunae, 1838-1872).

PROP/PR I - "1738/9 The Society Book of Records beginning
Lynn March 21st 1738/9 Belonging to the New Meeting House
att the Westerly part of Lynn." Records of the Proprietors
(1738/9-174-9) and parish (1750-1829). Owned and held by the
Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities,
Boston.

PR II - MISSING, Parish Records, 1829-1884.

PR III - "Records of the First Congregational Parish and
Society in Saugus Book No 3." 1884-1918.

See also Alonzo Lewis, The History of Lynn , including Nahant
(2nd ed. , Boston, 1844); Alonzo Lewis and James R. Newhall,
History of Icynn , Essex County , Massachusetts : including
Iqrnnf ield , Saugus , Swamp scott , and Nahant , T629 - 1864 (Lynn ,
1890); Horace H. Atherton, Jr. , History of Saugus . Massachu -
setts (Salem, 1916).

The Congregational Library, Boston, owns a mimeographed copy
of Mildred R. Shrout f s "A History of The First Congrega-
tional Church of Saugus, Massachusetts" (1953)«

SCITUATE, First Parish Church (U).

Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered on Jan. 8, 1654/55 (Old Style) by
persons formerly members of the church gathered at South-
wark, England, by Henry Jacob (see BARNSTABLE, West). In
1639 i the minister, John Lothrop, and an undetermined number
of Scituate church members removed to Barnstable, apparently
organizing a new church in that place.
There is no record to indicate whether the remnant at
Scituate felt it necessary also to reorganize.

1. The records of the First Congregational Church go back
only to 1906.

564

In 1825» the orthodox of the Church and Parish in Scituate
withdrew to form their own church and society. Today, both
churches lay claim to the founding date, 1634/35*

Ministers: John Lothrop

Peter Saxton
Charles Chauncy

Henry Dunster
Nicholas Baker
Jeremiah Cushing
Nathaniel Pitcher
Shear j ashub Bourne

Ebenezer Grosvenor

Ebenezer Dawes

Nehemiah Thomas

(sett. 1623-1634 Southwark;
ord. or inst. 1634/35 Scitu-
ate; rem. 1639; d. 1653)
(sett. 1640; rem. 1641;
d. 1651)

(sett. 1641; rem. to presi-
dency of Harvard College
1654; d. 1671)

sett. 1654; d. 1659)

ord. 1660; a. 1678)

ord. 1691; d. 1705/06)

ord. 1707; d. 1723)
(ord. 1724; dism. 1761;
d. 1768)

(ord. 1763; dism. 1780;
d. 1788)

(ord. 1787; d. 1791)
(ord. 1792; d. 1831)

Ruling elders: Nathaniel Tilden (e. 163V35; d. 1641) 1

Deacons: Henry Cobb

Edward Foster
Thomas Besbetch
John (?) Cooper
Richard Garrett

(e, and ord. 1635; rem. 1639;

d. 1679)

(ord. 1637/38; d. 1644) P

(ord. 1637/58; d. ca. 1656)^

(e. 1639 ?; rem. 1539)^

(e. ca. 1640-1660; d. ca. 1662)

1. Samuel Deane, History of Scituate , Massachusetts, from
Its Settlement to 1831 (BosTon, 1831; rep. Scituate, 1899),
p. 90, also lis^s as a Scituate ruling elder Henry Cobb (the
deacon) who was among those who removed to Barnstable in
1639- As far as can be determined, Cobb was not elevated

to the eldership until 1670; until then, he served at Barn-
stable as he had at Scituate, as a deacon.

2. Sometimes given as "Bedbedge."

3. Deane, loc . cit . , also mentions as Scituate deacons
Richard Sealis and William Gilson, but cites no authority
for adding these names to the diaconate.

565

Thomas Clap
Benjamin Pierce
Capt. David Jacobs
Hatherley Foster
Samuel Turner
Samuel Stodder
Thomas Pierce
Slisha Poster
Jonathan Merritt, Jr
Slisha Pierce
Ezra Pitcher

Joseph Bailey
Samuel Jenkins
Israel Vinal, Esq.
Daniel Jenkins
Israel Litchfield
Seth Merritt

(m. 1647; d. ca. 1684)

(m. 1709-17251"

(m. 1709-1711)

(e. 1729)

fe. 1732/33)

(e. 1735)

(e. 17^3; res. 1?68)

(e. 1743)

(e. 1754; res. and rem
1764; d. 177D

e. 1764)

e. 1768; d. 1805)

e. 1779)

e. 1779; d. 1812)

.e. 1779; m. 1833)

(m. 1792; d. ca. 1833)

Unless otherwise noted, the records are owned and held by
the First Parish Church. 1

CR I - Amos Otis, "Scituate and Barnstable Church Records,"
NfflGR, IX (1855), 279-287, notice of 1634/35 gathering,
vital statistics, 1635-1653; X (1856), 37-43, church rec-
ords, 1634-1653. A copy of the 1769 transcript made by
Ezra Stiles from John Lothrop * s Journal, then extant.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1639-1707-

CR III - "The Church Book, 1707- " 1707-1791-

CR III PUB - George E. Bowman, "Records of the First Church
of Scituate, Mass.," MD, X (1908), 90-96, 175-180, 225-230,
XI (1909), 44-46, 138"^l42, 207-209-

CR III COPY - Church Records, 1707-1791- Typescript copy,
ca. 1930, owned and held by the American Antiquarian
Society, Worcester.

CR IV - "Scituate. N. Thomas. Church Records. 1792."
1792-1831.

1. The records held by the Congregational Church begin in
1825-

566

CR V - "Records of the First Church of Christ in Scituate,
Mass. Vol. 3." 1831-1884.

PR I - "The First Book of reckords for the northerly
Soseiaty in Scittuate." Parish records, 1695-1761.

PR I COPY - Typescript copy, undated.

PR II - Parish Records, 1761-1858.

PR III - Parish Records, 1854--1954.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1786-
1871; Minister Fund Treasurer's Accounts, 1803-1872, 1872-
1937.

See also Church Manual : or the History , Standing Rules ,
Discipline , Articles of Faith , and Covenant , or the First
( Trinitarian Congregational ) Church~of Christ in Scituate,
Mass. (Boston, 1844-j; An Ecclesiastical Controversy : Con -
ta inin g the Correspondence between Hon . John B. Turner ,
Member of the First Parish , and Rev , Daniel Wight, Jr. .
Pastor of the First Church in Scituate , Mass . (Boston. 184-5);
A Second Series ~ "oT~Letters concerning the History of the
First Parish in Scituate (Boston. 184-5); Review of a Pam -
phlet Entitled 'A Second Series of Letters . . ." ^(Boston.
184-5); Document of the ?ilp;rim Conference of Churches , Con -
taining an Historical Sketch of the First Trinitarian Con-

f relational Church ox Christ . in Scituate ,
umber 3 CBoston. 1553); Manual of the Trj

H

ass.

rini tarian c ongrega -

tional Church in Scituate , Mass .TNorth Scituate, 1915).

SCITUATE (see Barnstable).

SCITUATE, South Church and Parish (see Norwell).

567

SECONCHGUT (Seconkgut, Seconkqut) Praying Town [and Church ?]
(see Chilmark, Seconchgut Praying Town [and Church ?]).

[SKEKONK (C).]

The church was gathered in 16^3, in that part of Rehoboth
which was set off in 1812 as the town of Seekonk. In 1862
the area served by this church was ceded to Rhode Island,
becoming part of the town of Bast Providence. The church
thus falls outside the geographical limits of this present
study .

This church continues today as the Newman Congregational
Church of Rumford, R.I. While its early records have long
been lost, quite a few details can be gleaned from Leonard
Bliss, Jr., The History of Rehoboth, Bristol County. Massa-

3;

chusetts (Boston, 1836); Sylvanus C. Newman, Rehoboth in the
Past ; An Historical Qration Delivered on the Fourth oT~july
TM5 (Pawtucket, 1860); D. Hamilton Hurd (ecT7), History of
Bristol County , Massachusetts (Philadelphia, 1883), pp. 553-
506; and Richard L. Bowen, ffarly Rehoboth : Documented
Historical Studies of Families and Events in This Plymouth
Colony Township , 4 vols. (RehoootE, 19*5-1*J5QT*

SHARON, Unitarian Church (U).

Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered on May 20, 1741 in the Second Precinct
of Stoughton (which had been incorporated the previous year).
In 1765 the area was renamed St ought onham, and in 1783 it be-
came the town of Sharon. In 1821, the orthodox withdrew from
the church, forming the Christian Church and Society. The
liberal wing saw to the organization of the First Congrega-
tional Parish in the same year. The two churches continue

568

as Congregational and Unitarian bodies today, both, claiming
the eighteenth century date.

Ministers:

Philip Curtis
Jonathan Whitaker

Cord. 1741 A2; d. 1797)
(ord. 1799; dism. 1816;

a. 1835)

Ruling elder: Deacon Joseph Hewins T

Deacons :

Benjamin Savell
Jeremiah Puller
Bird

Jacob Hewins
Esty

Joseph Hewins
Oliver Everett
Hill

(m. 1744; d. 1775)

Cm. 1744; d. 1772)

(m. 1769; d. 1787)

Cm. 1781

(d. 1781

(d. 1786

Cm. 1788-1794)

(d. 1792)

The church records antedating 1825 were destroyed by fire
in that year, except for a volume of vital statistics and
miscellaneous entries.^ The latter item has since dropped
from sight, but not before a portion was published (see
below). The parish records reported extant in 1903 and
the church records from 1825 were not made available.

VS I - MISSING, Church Vital Statistics, . 1741/42-1797. 5

1. The Unitarian church claims the date 1737, anticipating
the actual gathering of the church by five years.

2. George C. Cooke, Origin and Barly History of the First
Parish , Sharon , Massachusetts (Boston. 1905)* suggests that
Deacon Joseph Hewins of Stoughton, elected ruling elder at
Stoughton in 1720 and (having made no reply) re-elected to
that office at Stoughton in 1723, may have served as an
elder at Sharon during the latter church's infancy.

The only mention of this Stoughton lay officer in the
Sharon records appears in VS I PUB, p. 13, under date of
Feb, 25, 1755: "Slder Hewins was buried."

3- Cooke, op_. cit . , pp. 8-9.

4. Used by Cooke, but reported by Cushman, p_£. cit . , as
beginning no earlier than 1882.

5. Reported by Cooke in 1903 as held by Charles C. Curtis
of Sharon.

569

VS I PUB - John C. Phillips (ed.), "The Church Records of
Rev. Philip Curtis of Sharon, 1742-1797," SHSP, No. 5
(Boston, 1908) - 1

See also Manual of the First Congregational Church ,
Massachusetts , l^l"T5oston, 1901 ); Frieda B. Cushm
typescript "History of Our Church, " 1940, owned and

the Unitarian Church.

e Rational Church , Sharon ,

an s
held by

SHEFFIELD (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 22, 1735, and the First Con-
gregational Society was organized in 1825- ^he society was
dissolved at the time of the church's incorporation in 1917

Ministers:

Jonathan Hubbard (ord. 1735; dism. 1764;

d. 1765)
John Keep (ord. 1772; d. 1784)
Ephraim Judson (inst. 1791; I. 1813)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Daniel Kellogg

Philip Caliender
Silas Kellogg
Ebenezer Smith
Aaron Foot
Jonathan Hubbard

e. 1735)

e. 1735; d. ca. 1753)

>. 1765-1770T

(m. 1761; d. 1795)

(e. 1792; d. 1822)

(e. 1792; d. 1825)

The church records antedating 1813 were reported lost in
1901, except for vital statistics dating back to 1791-
The extant records are owned and held by the church.

1. The published version omits all details of disciplinary
action reported in VS I.

2. Neither Cooke, CR I COPY, nor present-day church officers
have any knowledge of records xor the years 1735-1&13- We
must assume, therefore, that the entry made by Emil Ober-
holzer, Jr., Delinquent Saints (New York, 1956), p. 351, is
an error.

570

CR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1735-1813.

CR II - "Church Record. 1813. Vol. I." (Flyleaf: "Rec-
ords of the Church of Christ; at Sheffield.") 1798 and 1813-
1855; vital statistics, 1791-1858.

CR II COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Sheffield Cong. Church."
Copy made in 1901 of CR II. Owned and held by the Berkshire
Athenaeum (Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

VS I - "Catalogue." Admissions, 1791-1870, compiled in the
latter year; carried through 1944- - Scattered baptismal
records, 1794-1874.

VS II - "Record." Copy of VS I, made in 1941, with memoranda
extracted from town and proprietors records on the history
of the church, 1733-1775-

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church, Sheffield,
Mass. Vol. II." 1855-1897-

CR IV - "Records of the Church. Vol. 3- 1897-1917."

SR I - MISSING, Society Records, 1825-1874.

SR II - "Records - 1st Congl. Society. - Sheffield Mass."
1374-1917.

Miscellaneous records: Society/Church Treasurer's Accounts,

1885-1926.

See also Manual of the Church of Christ , ( Congregational . )
in Sheffield , Mass . 1870 C Great Barrington, 1870);
Charles J. Taylor et alii . History of Great Barrington
(Berkshire ) Massachusetts (Great Harrington, 1882); Manual
of the First Congregational Church in Sheffield , Mass .
Threat Barrington, 1917).

SHEFFIELD, North Parish (see Great Barrington).

571

SHEFFIELD, Second Church (see Great Barrington)

SHELBURNE, First (C).

The church was gathered in 1770, and the First Congrega-
tional Society was organized in 1827-

Ministers :

Robert Hubbard
Jesse Townsend

Cord. 1773; d. 1788)

(ord. 1792; dism. 1797;
d. 1858)

Theophilus Packard, D.D. (ord. 1799; d. 1855)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Samuel Fellows
Ebenezer Allis
Aaron Skinner
David Wells
Samuel Boyd

(e. 1770-1774: d. 1816)

(e. 1770-1774)

(e, 1770-1774; d. 1826)

Ce. 1770-1774; d. 1814)

(e. 1799; dism. n.d. and rem.)

There are no church records antedating 1870; the extant
church records are owned and held by the church, the society
records by the Shelburne Center Library.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1770-1870.

CR II - "Records of the First Congregational Church In Shel-
burne Mass. Commencing Sept 5th, 1870 by Reuben Nims."
1870-1938.

SR I - "Records of the first Congregational Society in the
Town of Shelburne Book No 1." 1827-1870.

Miscellaneous records: Church Subscription Books, 2 vols,
(one for males, one for females), 1851-1871; Society
Treasurer's Accounts, 1828-1871.

1. The Manuals published in 1832 and 1887 speak of frag-
mentary records antedating 1870, but these have since dis-
appeared.

572

See also Congregational Church, in Shelburne, Mass. March 12 ,
1852 (Greenfield, 1852;; Theophilus Packard, I" "Sermon Deliv -
ered on the Occasion of The Fiftieth Anniversary of The
Ordination of Rev . ~3?heophilus Packard , D.D- (GreenTield,
1849); Manual of the Conventional Church % Shelburne , Mass .
November , l873~ CGreenfield, 1875 ) ; Manu al of The First Con=
Kregational Church , Shelburne % Mass" 1887" TShe Iburne Falls,
1887); Mrs. Walter ETTSurnham et alii . History and Tradition
of Shelburne , Massachusetts (.Springfield, 195o)*

SHERBOEN, Firs-c Parish (U).

The church was gathered on March 26, 1585 » its sustaining
parish having been organized in 1674-.

Early in the nineteenth century, the orthodox and liberal
elements separated. Constituting a majority of the church,
the orthodox organized a society in 1830, The liberal wing,
dominating the parish, reorganized the parish church that
same year.

In 1946, the two churches, Pilgrim Congregational and the
First Parish Church, federated. In 1961 the Federated
Church voted to become the Community Christian Church,
associating with the Congregational tradition. Shortly
thereafter, the First Parish (Church) voted to resume in-
dependent services in the Unitarian tradition. The Commun-
ity Christian Church voted in 1965 to revive the Pilgrim
Congregational Church, and to affiliate with the United
Church of Christ, leaving the First Parish Church as the
continuing claimant to the 1685 date.

Ministers:

Daniel Gookin, Jr.
Daniel Baker
Samuel Porter
Samuel Locke, D.D

Elijah Brown

ord. 1685; <i. 1717/18)

ord. 1712; d. 173D

ord. 1734-; d. 1758)

(ord. 1759; dism. to become
president of Harvard 1770;

d. 1777)

(ord. 1770; d. 1816)

Ruling elders:
Deacons:

none.

Obadiah Norse
Benoni Learned

m. 1685; d. ca G 1704)
,m. 1705-1726T

573

Hopestill Lealand

Greenwood

Jonathan Russell
James Whitney
Benjamin Whitney
William Lealand
Jonathan Twitchel
John Stone
Aaron Lealand
William Clarke
Joseph Dowse

>. 1726)

m. 1730-1731)

.m. 1758-1775)

>. 1759)

.m. 1773; d. 1793)

M. 1775)

Cm. 1777; d. 1780)

Cm. 1779)

Cm. 1793-1809)

Cm. 1793-1809)

(m. 1802-1816)

The records are sparse for the early years, and all records
are owned and held by the First Parish.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1685-1734.

CR II - "The Church Book, Begun Oct. 27, 1734." 1734-1848.

CR II BROWN - "Elijah Brown's Book, 1771." 1771-1801, with
vital statistics to 1816.

CR III - "Records of the Church of the First Congregational
Society in Sherbom, Mass. Vol. II." 1854-ca. 1900.

PR I - Parish Records, 1809-1834.

PR II - Parish Records, 1835-1862.

PR III - Parish Records, 1860-1888.

PR IV - Parish Records, 1889-1944.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Account Book, 1685-1780
(new binding inscribed "Records, First Parish, Sherbom");
Parish Assessors Rate Book, 1809-1833, 1837; Parish Treas-
urer's Accounts, 1838-1873, 1873-1914; Parish Property Deed
Book, 1846-1873-

See also William Biglow, History of Sherburne, Mass. (Mil-
ford, Mass., 1830).

SHERBURN(E) (see Sherborn).

574

SHIRLEY, First (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 25 , 1762, and the First Con-
gregational Society was organized in 1822. Church and
society became extinct about the year 1890.

Minister: Phinehas Whitney (ord. 1762; d. 1819,)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Jjongley

Hezekiah Sawtell
John Ivory
Joseph Brown
John He aid
Josiah Willard
Stone

e, 1762: d. 1792)
e. 1762)

e. 1777; m. 1789)
e. 1784: m. 1808)
e. 1790) ,
m. 179B-1805) ±
m. 1803 ) 2

The meager extant records are owned and held by the
American Antiquarian Society, Worcester.

Not listed below, but worthy of note is the Diary of James
Parker, 1770-1829, owned and held by the Society. See
Ethel S. Bolton, "Extracts from the Diary of James Parker
of Shirley, Mass.," N3HGR, LXIZ (1915), 8-17, 117-127, 211
224, 294-308, LXX (1916), 9-24, 137-146, 210-220, 294-308.

CR I - "Church Book, begun 1762." 1762-1815.

VS I - "Deaths." 1829-1877-

VS II - "Marriages and Baptisms." 1833-1888.

1. The entry for 1798 reads "Joseph Willard," but it would
appear that this is an error for "Josiah Willard," who is
mentioned in 1801 and 1803 in Parker's Diary.

2. The Deacon Samuel Lawrence mentioned in Parker's Diary
in 1799 was a Groton deacon. It appears that the Deacon
Rockwood mentioned as dying in 1804 was Deacon Samuel Rock-
wood, also of Groton.

575

SHREWSBURY, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 4, 1723. The First Parish
was organized in 174-2, incorporated in 174-3, and reorganized
in 1821. The Trustees of the Funds appropriated to the
support of a Minister of the Congregational Denomination in
the Town of Shrewsbury received incorporation in 1801.
Church and parish were incorporated as a single body in 1957

Ministers: Job Cushing (ord. 1723; d. 1760)
Joseph Sumner (ord. 1762; d. 1824)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: John Keyes, Sr.

Samuel Wheelock
Cyprian Keyes

Samuel Miles
Ezekiel Knowlton
Jonas Stone
Benjamin Maynard
William. Knowlton
Benjamin Goddard
John Bragg

1723; res. and rem. 1742;

1753
1723
1735

1802)

1743
1743
1765
1765
1784
1784
1789

; res. 1735)

; res. and rem. 1742;

; res. 1765)
; d. 1774)
; d, 1809)
; d. 1788)
; d. 1820)
; d. 1834)
; d. 1819)

The records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - "Records for the Church of Shrewsbury." 1723-1825.

CR II - "The Church Records of Shrewsbury Begun Anno 1723."
Vital statistics, 1723-1824; church records, 1840-1841.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1825-1903 (except for
1840-1841).

PR I - "Shrewsbury. Shrewsbury firsg precinct and first
precinct Book. Bought in April in y year 1744 by Nahum
Ward Esqr and Cost one pound and Eighteen shillings and Six
pence old Tenor." 1743-1825-

PR II - "Records of the Congregational Parish in the Town.
of Shrewsbury Second Volume March 1826 Deeds of Pews
recorded towards the end of this book." 1826-1870.

576

PR III - Parish Records, 1871-19*1.

Miscellaneous records: Pew Deeds, 1834—1879; Records of the
Trustees of the Ministerial Fund, 1800-1915; Ministerial
Fund Accounts, 1801-1916.

SHREWSBURY, North Church, Precinct and Parish (see Boylston)

SHREWSBURY, Second Precinct (see Boylston).

SHUTESBURY, Federated (C).

Gathered on Oct. 27, 174-2 as the Church in Roadtown, the
church's name was changed when the area became the town of
Shutesbury in 1761.

The dismissal of the Tory minister in 1778 resulted in his
successfully bringing suit against the town to recover his
salary. Church activity declined markedly, and only one
member was still alive when the church was reorganized in
1806.

The Baptist church, founded in 1780, federated with the re-
organized Congregational Church in 1911.

Minister: Abraham Hill (ord. 1?42; dism. 1778; d. 1788)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons :

Aaron Smith
Jonathan Burt

m. 1747-1751)
m. 1747-1751)

577

There are no records antedating the reorganization of the
church and organization of its society. The extant records
are owned by the church, and deposited at the Town Hall.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 174-2-1806.

CR II - Church Records, 1806-1848.

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church in Shutesbury,
Commencing Mar. 1st, 1848." 1848-1880, with vital statistics
to 1932.

SR I - "A Book of reckords belonging to the Congregational
Society. In Shutesbury." 1804-1907-

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1815-
1873 (.with memoranda of Society meetings, 1835-1873), 1880-
1930.

See also The Annual Report of the Town of Shutesbury for the
Year ending March 21, 1899 In. p., 1899), which includes some
data on the ecclesiastical history of the town.

SLPPICAN Parish (see Marion).

SOUTHAMPTON (C).

The Second Precinct of Northampton was incorporated in 1741,
and the church was gathered here on June 8, 1743- The pre-
cinct became the town of Southampton in 1753* and the

1. Memoranda found among the New Salem Church Records
categorically state that in 1955, no trace of the Shutesbury
records, 1742-1806, could be found.

578

church's name was duly changed. The parish dissolved at the
incorporation of the church in 1930.

Ministers:

Jonathan Judd
Vinson Gould

(ord. 174-3; d. 1803)

(ord. colleague 1801; dism. 1832:

d. 184-1)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons :

Waitstill Strong
John Clark
Elias Lyman
Samuel Edwards
Abner Pomroy
Deacon Douglas King
Lt. John Lyman
Elisha Edwards
Lt. Samuel Burt
Capt. Roswell Strong

(e. 1743; res. 1803) 1

(e. 1743; m. 1750)

(e. 1766; d. 1803)

e. 1766: d. 1789-1790)

e. 1780)

e. 1780; res. 1801)

(e. 1786; res. 1801; d. 1811)

Ce. 1790; d. 1832'

(e. 1801; d. 1822

(e. 1801; d. 1837

The records are owned and held "by the church, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - "A Record of the Church of Christ in Southampton."
1743-1832, entries somewhat scattered.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1832-1915. 2

VS I - Mrs. Max Lederer, Jr., copyist, "Congregational Church
Records, Southampton, Massachusetts, 1747-1937." Typescript
owned and held by the Southampton Public Library. Vital
statistics only.

VS II - "A. Record of Marriages kept in Southampton by Vinson
Gould." 1801-1807.

PR I - "Records of the First Parish in Southampton, Organized
November 1st, 1831." 1831-1881.

PR II - "Records of the First Parish in Southampton, Com-
mencing April 17, 1882." 1882-1931.

1. Another tradition has it that Strong died in 1793.

2. Currently missing, this volume was reported to be extant
as recently as 1938 (see V3 I, p. 154).

579

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1879-
1958; Parish Assessors 1 and Treasurer's Accounts, 1832-1924- ;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1832-1878, 1879-1924- ; Parish
Fund Accounts, 1886-1928.

SOUTHBORO (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on Oct. 21, 1730. The withdrawal
of the orthodox in 1831 greatly weakened the First Parish
and its church which nonetheless supported a settled min-
istry until 1842, and met intermittently until 1859. With
the extinction of the church, the parish deeded its property
to the orthodox, but maintained a marginal existence until
1873.

Ministers: Nathan Stone Cord. 1730; d. 1781)

Samuel Sumner Cord. 1791; dism. 1797; d. 1837)
Jereboam Parker Cord. 1799; dism. 1832; d. 1850)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Gideon Newton

Edmund Chamberlain
Hezekiah Fay
Josiah Newton

m. 1791)

m. 1791; d. 1819)

m. 1795; d. 1800)

e. 1800; d. 1822)

The records of the church antedating 1791 could not be ob-
tained from the heirs of Rev. Nathan Stone at the time of
Sumner's settlement. 1 The extant records are deposited at
the Selectmen's Office, Southboro Town Hall.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1730-1791.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church, Southborough
1791-1835." (Flyleaf: "Records of the Congregational
Church in Southborough. — 1730.") 1791-1838.

PR I - Parish Records, 1832-1873-

1. See CR I, under dates of June 15 and Aug. 5, 1791.

580

See also History of Wo re ester County , Massachusetts , Embrac -
ing a Comprehensive History of the"County from Its First
Settlement to the Present Time» with a ^gtory and Descrip -
tion of Its~gities and Towns (Boston, 1879 ^ II, pp. 284-294;
ST HainTlton Hurd (ed.). History of Worcester County , Massa -
chusetts , with Biographical Sketches of Ijany of It s Pioneers
and Prominent Men (Philadelphia, 188977 ^7~PP* 9"5^To27^

SOUTHBRIDGE, Elm Street (C).

The church was gathered as the Second Church in Charlton on
Sept. 16, 1801, at the same time its affiliated Second Reli-
gious Society was incorporated. In 1816 the area was made
the town of Southbridge, and the names of the church and
society were duly changed- The same year saw mention made
in the records of Proprietors of the Ministerial Fund.
The society was dissolved at the incorporation of the church
in 1962. The name "Elm Street Church" is of comparatively
recent date.

Minister: no minister was settled here until 1816.

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Asa Walker (e. 1801; d. 1814}
Daniel Morse (e. 1801; d. 1832)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "The Records of the second congregational Church in
Charlton. Vol. I. From September 16th 1801." 1801-1844.

CR II - "The Records of the Congregational Church in South-
bridge. Vol. II." 1844-1888.

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church Southbridge,
Mass . 1888 . " 1888-1901 .

SR I - Society Records, 1816-1850. Incorrectly labeled as
records of the Proprietors of the Ministerial Fund.

SR II - MISSING, Society Records, 1850-1896.

581

SR III - "Records of Congregational Religious Society Com-
mencing Men 31st 1896." 1896-1928.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1816-
1864, 1877-1881, 1882-1917-

SOUTH HRIMFIELD, Cliurch (see Holland).

SOUTH BRIMFIELD, East Parish (see Holland)

SOUTH BRINFIKLD, West Parish and Church (see Wales)

SOUTH DANVKRS, South Church (see Peabody, South).

SOUTH DIGHTON (see Dighton, Pedo-Baptist ).

582

SOUTEFIELD (see New Marlboro, Southfield)

SOUTH HADLEY (C).

The church, was gathered on Oct. 3, 1733 as the Second Church
in Hadley. The Second Precinct did not receive formal in-
corporation until 1759, six years after the area became the
town of South Hadley; it therefore was known as the First
Precinct.

The First Parish was incorporated in 1824; in 1927, church
and parish incorporated as one body.

Ministers: Grindall Rawson (ord. 1733; rem. 1741; d. 1777)
John Woodbridge (inst. 1742; d. 1783)
Joel Hayes (ord. 1782; d. 1827)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

John Smith
Joseph White
Daniel Moody
David Nash
Josiah White
Enoch White

(m. 1753)

\

m. 1782; d. 1803)
m. 1782; d. 1803)
(m. 1782; d. 1809),
(m. 1782; d. 1813)

There are virtually no church records antedating 1782; the
extant records are owned by the church and deposited at the
Mount Holyoke College Library, South Hadley.

1. Sophie E. Eastman, In Old South Hadley (Chicago, 1912),
lists one Ebenezer Moody as an early deacon of this church.
She also suggests that there were two deacons named John
White, both of them living in 1753- See also R. 0. Dwight's
"Historical Address" in A History of the Sesqui-Centerm-j al
Anniversary Celebration of the Town oF ^outh Hadley , Mass .

Juiz 22-22. 1303 (n.p.. I90S77

The following deacons were elected at some unrecorded
time between 1782 and 1822: Silas Smith (d. 1813), Levi
Judd (rem. 1827), Aaron Graves (d. 1834). and Selah Smith.
(d. 1825)-

583

CR I. - "A Church Record Beginning at the Time of the Ordina-
tion of Joel Hayes to the work of the Gospel Ministry in
South Hadley, 23 of October, 1782." Abstract of church
votes, 1744-1745, 1767, 1769, 1782-1795, 1823-1825; vital
statistics, 1782-1825.

CR II - "Church Records. Book No. 2." 1824-1835.

CR III - "Records of the 1st Church in South Hadley during
my ministry. J. D. Condit. Third Book." 1835-1848.

CR IV - "Church Records, Fourth Book, 1848-1858."

CR V - "Book 5, Old Record. First Cong 1 Church, So. Hadley.
1858-1881 inc."

CR VI - "Church Records, 1882 to 1897."

CR VTI - "Records of the First Cong'l Church of
Hadley, Mass. From Jan. 1st ±897 to May, 1923,

South
Inclusive. "

VS I - "Confession of Faith & Covenant, Principles & Regula-
tions and a Chronological .uLst of The Members of The First
Congregational Church in South Hadley." Admissions, 1782-
1941.

VS II - Minister's Record of Admissions, 1819-1836.

FR I - "South Hadley First Parish Record." 1824-1869-

PR II - "Records. First Parish, South Hadley." 1870-1915-

Miscellaneous records: Church Charitable Collections, 1845-
1860; Parish Collector's Record Books, 1894, 1895, 1896,
1897, 1898-1900; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1879-1928;
miscellaneous Parish Accounts, 1896-1901.

In addition to the secondary works cited, see Celebration
of the Two Hundredth Anniversary of the Settlement of
gadTey. TIassachusetts , at Hadley . " June 8. 1859 : including;
The Address by SevT TroT T F. D. Huntinf^onT TTP. of Harvard
College lNorthampton"r~I5597; girst Congregational Church of
South Hadley . Confession of Faith . "Covenant , Ecclesiastical
Principles , and Regulations , and Catalogue of Members , to
January 1861~ UTorthampton, 1861 ) ; Report of the Standing
Committee of the First Church in South Hadley (, Springfield,
1868); Alice HT~Walker. Historic Hadley" A Story of the
Making of a Famous Massachusetts Town (New York, 1906;.

584

SOUTH HADLEY, East Church and Precinct (see Granby)

SOUTH HADLEI, Second Church and Precinct (see Granby).

SOUTH HINGHAM, Church and Parish (see Hingham, Second).

SOUTH OR SOUTHERN NEW MARLBORO, Church (see New Marlboro,
Southfield).

SOUTH READING, First Church and Parish (see Wakefield)

SOUTH SCITUATE, First Parish and Church (see Norwell)

SOUTH WARWICK, Church (see North Orange).

585

SOUTH WEYMOUTH, Church, and Parish (see Weymouth, Old South
Union) .

SOUTHWICK (C).

The Church was gathered on Aug. 17, 1773, and its society
was incorporated in 1825- The society was dissolved at the
time of the church's incorporation in 1891.

Abel Forward (ord. 1775; d. 1786)

Isaac Clinton (ord. 1?88; dism. 180?; d. 1841)

Ministers:

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Norton Cm. 1773; d. 1777)

Isaac Gillett (m. 1773; d. 1784)

Moses Mitchell (e. 1784)

Thomas Hough (e. 1784; m. 1794)

George Granger (e. 1798; d. 1812)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the Congregational Church in Southwick,
1773-1820."

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1820-1836.

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church in Southwick,
1836-1859." 1836-1861, 1891-1393-

CR IV - MISSING, Church Records, 1861-1894 (except for
coverage of 1891-1893, above).

CR V - Church Records, 1894-1905, with copy of CR I and III.

CR COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Southwick, Mass. Records of the
Congregational Church. " Copy made in 1901 of fragmentary
records, 1773-1900. Owned and held by the Berkshire
Athenaeum (Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

SR I - "Records of the Congregational Church in Southwick,
1825-1847." Society records.

586

SOUTH WILBRAHAM, First Church (see Hampden)

SPENCER (C).

The Second Precinct in Leicester was set off in 1744, and
the Second Church of Christ was gathered on May 1? of that
year. When the precinct became the town of Spencer in 1753
the church's name was duly changed. The First Parish in
Spencer was organized in 1832.

Ministers ;

Joshua Eaton
Joshua Pope

(ord. 1744; d. 1772)
Cord. 1773; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons ;

James Wilson
Archibald Thomas

John Muzzy
Oliver Watson
John Briscoe
Reuben Underwood

(e. 1744/45; eta. 1758) 1

(e. 1744/45; rem. 1756; member-

ship transferred 1776)

'e. 1753; eta. 1789)

e. 1763; eta. 1804)

e. 1788; eta. 1808)

Ce. 1792; eta. 1830)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1744-1816. Labeled "A."

CR II - "Records of The Congregational Church in Spencer,
1819." 1819-1854. Labeled "3."

c * II3: I "Eecords of the Congregational Church in Spencer."
1854-1922. Labeled "C."

PR I - "Records of the Congregational, or, first Parish of
a Religious Society in the town of Spencer." 1832-1882.
Labeled "D."

1. Deacon John Worster, mentioned in CR I under date of 1761
as engaging in conflict with the Rev. Mr. Eaton, was an
officer of the Boxford (West) church. Deacon Ball, op. cit.,
under date of 1762, has not been identified.

587

PR II - "Records of the Congregational or First Parish,
Spencer, Mass. from 1883." 1833-1906. Labeled "E. "

Miscellaneous records: Church Membership Registers (one
chronologically arranged, labeled "M" ; one alphabetically
arranged, labeled "L"), 1744-1960; Parish Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1854-1864, 1864-1892; Pew Deeds, 1838-184-9.

SPRINGFIELD, First (C).

The church was gathered in 1637. Although the parish claims
a more ancient date, its records commence in 1806, the same
year in which the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund were in-
corporated.

Ministers: George Moxon

Pelatiah Glover
Daniel Brewer
Robert Breck
Bezaleel Howard, D.D.

(sett. 1637; rem. 1651;
d. 1687)

(ord. 1661; do 1692)

(ord. 169^; d. 1733)

(ord. 1736; d. 1784)

(ord. 1785; dism. 1809;
d. 1837)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Samuel Wright (e,

1 d *

Samuel Chap in (e,

Jonathan Burt (d<

Benjamin Parsons (d,

John Hitchcock (e,

James Warriner (d,

Nathaniel Munn (d,

Henry Burt (d.

Nathaniel Brewer (d

Jonathan Church (m

Col. Josiah Dwight (e.

Daniel Harris (m

Moses Bliss (m

William Pyncheon (e

Chauncy Brewer (e.

ca. 1638;

1565)
ca. 1638;

T715)

1689)

ca. 1689;

1727)

1743)

1746)

1796)

1747;
after

1773;
1780;

rem. n.d.
d. 1675)

d. ca. 1700)

ca. 1785;
ca. 1796;

d. 1761)
1743; d.
d. 1785)
d. 1814)

d.
d.

1768)

1805)
1830)

1. See Howard M. Chapin, "The English Ancestry of Dea.
Samuel Chapin of Springfield, Mass.," NEHGR, LXXXIII (1929),
351-357.

588

The church records antedating 1736 have long been missing.
The extant records, unless otherwise noted, are owned by the
church and deposited at a local bank,

OR 1 - MISSING, Church Records, 1637-1736.

CR II - "Records of the first Church In Springfield,
begining Janry. 27th. 1735/6, pr. me, R. Breck." Vital
statistics, 1736-1808, with scattered church votes, 1736,
1750, 1759, 1766, 1768, 1806, 1808.

VS II COPY - Ella May Lewis, "Baptisms, Marriages, and
Deaths, 1736-1809 First Church, Springfield, Mass." Owned
and held by the Congregational Library, Boston.

CR III - "Records of the first church in Springfield."
1809-18 54.

VS III - "Records of the first church in Springfield begun
January 26. 1809." Vital statistics, 1809-1854.

CR IV - Church Records, 1854-1870.

CR IV MIN - "Records of the 1st Cong. Ch. in Springfield,
Commencing September 1854." 1854-1871. Ministerial record.

CR IV CL - "Records First Church. D. Chauncy Brewer, Clerk.
1856." 1856-1878. Church clerk's record. 2

PR I - Parish Records, 1806-1875-

PR II - "Records of the First Parish. Springfield. Mass.
January 1877." 1877-1913.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1884-
1894, 1894-1899, 1899-1912; Church Standing Committee Rec-
ords, 1876-1886, 1886-1895, 1895-1908; Parish Collectors 1

1. Some additional light on early nineteenth century church
affairs is contained in the MS "John Edwards his Book remem-
brance of deaths in Springfield January 1810," owned and
held by the Springfield Public Library.

2. Although in existence at the time of the publication of
the Church Manual of 1885 (cf. below), the record book
opened in 1878 has since dropped from sight.

589

Accounts, 1890-1893, 1894--1895; Parish Treasurer's Accounts,
1890-1898; Parish Subscription Books, 1876, 1884; Pew Sale

Records, 1830-1871.

See also Robert Breck, Past Dispensations of Providence
called to Hind (Hartford, Ct., 1784,); George Bliss, An
Address , Delivered at the Opening of the Town Hall in
Springfield , March 25, 1828 , containing Sketches of the
Early History of the Town , and Those in Its Vicinity
(Northampton, T562); Henry Morris, History of the Tirst
Church in Springfield : An Address delivered June 22, 1875
(Springfield. 1875;; 1637 7 Manual of the !Trs Church oJ
Names of All the Hembers~Prom

Christ and Names of A13 the
Nov. 1 1 "1585 (SprInKnela r 7"l885J;
field , Massachusetts , 1657 - 191 5*
Seven Decades ( Springfield, 19
Court Square .' First Church of
(n.p. , 1937) ; Marion J. Mears,
Years of Inspiration: History
Springfield, Massachusetts"
Bates College).

, the Year 1735 to
The First Church , opring -
HTTestones Through twenty -
5) ; Three Hundred Years on
Christ , Springfield , Mass .
"Three Hundred and Twenty
of the Old First Church,
(unpublished B.A. thesis,

SPRINGFIELD, Fifth Parish, Fifth Society (see Chicopee).

SPRINGFIELD, Fourth Precinct and Church (see Wilbraham)

1. The Springfield Public Library owns and holds two parish
officers' "note and account" books for 1725-1754; these ap-
pear to be private records.

590

SPRINGFIELD, North Parish (see Chicopee)

SPRINGFIELD, Second Church and Parish (see Longmeadow)

SPRINGFIELD, Second Parish and Society (see Chicopee),

SPRINGFIELD, Second Precinct/Parish (see West Springfield)

SPRINGFIELD, Sixth Church (see Agawam).

SPRINGFIELD, West Precinct (see West Springfield)

SPRINGFIELD MOUNTAIN (see Wilbraham).

591

SPRINGFIELD Parish (see Dover).

S^UANICOOK Parish (see Townsend).

STERLING, First (Unitarian-Congregational-Baptist).

The church was gathered on Dec. 19 , 1744- as the Church in
the Second Precinct of Lancaster, the precinct having been
set off in 174-2. Popularly known as "Chocksett Church," the
organization became the First Church in 1781, when the pre-
cinct was made the town of Sterling.

The early nineteenth century saw the orthodox minority of
the church and parish withdraw to form their own church and
society. In 1947 * however, the Unitarian, Congregational
and Baptist churches of Sterling united to form The First
Church, which continues today.

Ministers: John Me 11 en

Reuben Holcomb

(ord. 1744; dism. 1774; minis-
tered at Sterling Second Church,
1774-rem. 1784; d. 1807)
(ord. 1799; dism. 1814; d. 1826)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan Osgood
Oliver Moores
Capt. Asa Whitcomb
Joseph Kilborn
Thomas Fairbanks
Ebenezer Buss
Joel Hoghton

e. 17^5)

e.

1745 r

1760)

1767; d. 1789)
1773-1778)

(m. 1784)

(m. 1784)

m.

1. Is this the "Deacon Joseph Moores" who resigned from
the Sterling diaconate in 1758?

592

(m. 1796)
(m.

Jonas Mason

Samuel Clark (m. 1796)

Solomon Jewell (m. 1797; d. 1807)

The records are owned and held by the church, unless other-
wise noted,

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1744-1813.

CR I COPY - "Second Church in Lancaster, Now Sterling,
Massachusetts. Records, 1744-1813." Photostat made in
1922; owned and held by the American Antiquarian Society,
Worcester.

CR II - "Records of the Church in Sterling. Vol. II. 1814
1815."

CR III - "Register of the Church in Sterling." 1815-1846.

CR PUB - Henry S. Nourse, "Book of Records for Y e Second
Chh. in Lancaster," The Birth , Marriage and Death Register,
Church Records and Soitaphs of Lancaster , iiassachusetts .
I55^55^r TLanc aster, 1696) t "ghap. XII, pp. 374-391. Cmits
all church votes not directly related to genealogical mat-
ters, e.g., the details of the Rev. Mr. Mellen's disagree-
ments with and dismissal from the church.

3R I - "Records of the First Congregational Society in
Sterling. " 1836-1869-

3R II - "Records of the First Congregational Society in
Sterling. " 1870-1947 -

1. It is not known if Deacon Joseph Capp of Sherborn, who
transferred his church membership here in 1793 » served as a
Sterling deacon.

2. The original volume has dropped from sight since it was
photographed in 1922. It may well have been destroyed in
fires that since then have taken several of the town's
public buildings.

593

STERLING, Second (C), extinct.

The church came together in Nov. of 1774, meeting for the
next ten years in the home of the Rev, Mr. John Mellen,
erstwhile minister of Sterling's First Church. After
Mellen' s removal from the town in 1784, this group was
quickly absorbed by the older church.

Minister: John Mellen (preached from 17?4; rem. 1784:

d. 1807)

No records of this church being extant, nothing is known of
the lay officers (if any) of the Second Church.

STOCKBRIDGE, Housatonic Indian Church (C) and First
Church (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 18, 1754. Land in Stock-
bridge and West Stockbridge had been provided by the General
Court, to the end that the Hous atonies (Mahicans) might be
Christianized and domesticated. Funds provided by interested
individuals and by the Society for the Propagation of the
Gospel among the Indians of New England and Parts Adjacent
sustained the enterprise until 1783-1785, when the natives
removed to lands given them by the Oneidas at New Stock-
bridge, N. Y.

What records there are suggest that although a good number
of the Stockbridge Indians were baptized and received into
church membership, the English settlers came quickly to
dominate the life of the church. The church thus had no
difficulty in surviving the withdrawal of the Housatonics.
Its society was organized in 1825, and dissolved at the in-
corporation of the church in 1937.

See the bibliography on Indian churches, given under BOURNE,
Herring Pond(sJ Indian Church.

594

Ministers: John Sergeant

Jonathan Edwards

Stephen West, D.D
John Sergeant, Jr

Cord. Deerfield 1735 for
work at Stockbridge; also
taught Indian hoys school
here; d. 1749) 1
(sett. 1750; dism. to presi-
dency of Princeton College
1758; d. 1758)
(ord. 1759; dism. 1818;
d. 1819)

(sett, as Indian missionary
1775; rem. with Indians 1785;
d. 1824)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Hon. Timothy Woodbridge
Peter Pauquaunaupeet
Samuel Brown
Elnathan Curtis
James Villson
Stephen Nash
Slisha Bradley
Hon, Timothy Edwards, Esq,

Dr. Erastus Sergeant
Ebenezer Plumb
Ebenezer Cook

(e. 1754; d. 1774)

(e. 1734; d. ca. 1770)

(e. ca. 1750;^. 1784)

(e. 1764-1766; d. 1781)

*.m. 1776)

e. ca. 1780; d. 1803)

e. ca. 1781; d. 1815 )

e. ca. 1785; res.
1798; d. 1813)

e. 1798; d. 1814)

e. 1803; d. 1821)

e. 1803; res. and rem.
1808; d. 1813)

No records survive which antedate 1759. The extant records
are owned by the church, and are held in the Historical Room
of the Stockbridge Public Library, unless otherwise noted.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1734-1759.

CR II - "Records of the Church of Christ in Stockbridge."
Copy of church records (originals lost), 1759-1776; original
church records, 1776-1819-

CR III - "Church Records. Records of the Church of Christ
in Stockbridge." 1819-1850.

1. Mention must be made of the three masters of the Indian
school: Timothy Woodbridge (sett. 1734; rem. 1740; d. 1770),
Gideon Hawley (sett. 1751; rem. 1753; d. 1807), Cotton
Mather Smith (sett. 1753; rem. 1754; d. 1806).

595

CR II & III COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Stockbridge, Mass.,
Congregational Church. Vol. I." Copy made in 1901. Owned
and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum (Cooke Collection),
Pittsfield.

CR IV - "Records of the Congregational Church of Stockbridge,
Mass., beginning with June - 1850." 1850-1916.

SR I - "Record of the Old Congregational Society of the town
of Stockbridge." 1825-1879.

SR II - "Society Records. No. 2. 1880." 1880-1937-

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1819-
1878; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1837-1865, 1865-1899-

See also The Confession . Covenants, and Standing Rules of
The Church in Stockbridge , Together with a Notice of The
Officers , an3 Catalogue of the Existing Members (Stock-
bridge, 18277; David D. field, An Historical Sketch Congre -
gational Church in Stockbridge ."" Hass . (New York, 1853) >
Electa F. Jones, Stockbridge , Past and Present; or, The Rec-
ords of an Old Mission Station (Springfield, 185 2 i : 7; E7"w*. B.
Canning, """The Indian Mission at Stockbridge," BHSSC, I, 231-
246; Sarah C. Sedgewick and Christina S. Marquand, Stock-
bridge , 1739 - 1 , 93? : A Chronicle (Great Barrington, 1939).

STONEHAM (C).

The church was gathered on July 2, 1729. The First Parish
and Congregational Society was organized in 1827-

Ministers:

James Osgood
John Carnes
John Searl

ord. 1729; d. 1746)
ord. 1746; dism. 1757; d. 1802)
inst. 1759; dism. 1776;
d. 1787)

1. Field's sketch was the basis for An Historical Sketch of
the Congregational Church in Stockbrio^e , published at
Stockbridge in 1874 and 1853 .

596

John Cleaveland (sett. 1785; dism. 1794- ;

d. 1815)

John H. Stevens (inst. 1795; dism. 182?;

d* 1851)

Ruling elders: one authority mentions "Elder Daniel Green"
in or about 1746 ■ but it is not clear whether so saying, he
understands the difference between an elder and a deacon .

Deacons:

Daniel Gould
Daniel Green
Joseph Green
Edward Bucknam
Daniel Green
Jabez lynde

e. 1730)

e. 1730;

e. 174-7

e. 1769

(e. 1769)

(e. 1769)

The records are owned and held by the church.

OR I - Church Records, 1728-1798 (lacuna, 1758-1776).

CR II - Church Records, 1798-184-3.

VS PUB - C. E. Beals, "Church Records at Stoneham, Mass.,"
NEHGR , LIV (1900), 392-396, LV (1901), 142-14-5, LVI (1902),
63-66, 289-294-. Baptisms, 1729-1832.

Miscellaneous records: Minister's Commonplace Book, 1729-
1730 ; Minister's Accounts, 174-0-1751-

ST0UC2IT0N, First Parish (Univ.)
First Church (C).

In 1715, part of Dorchester was incorporated as the South
Precinct of that town, and two years later a church (now
Canton First) was gathered here. The adjacent area having
been made the town of Stoughton in 1726, in 1736 the South

1. Silas Dean, A Brief History of the Town of Stoneham,
Mass . from Its First Settlement £0 We Present Time IStone-
ham, 1870), passim .

597

Precinct of Dorchester was annexed to it, and the 1717
church became the First in Stoughton.

Stoughton 1 s Second Precinct was incorporated in 174-0, and
a church (now Sharon First) gathered there in the same year.
Stoughton 1 s Third Precinct was incorporated in 174-3* and its
church (now Stoughton First) was gathered here on Aug. 10,
1744 as the Third in Stoughton.

The Second Precinct, renamed Stoughtonham in 1765 1 i n 1783
became the town of Sharon. The 1744- church (and its 174-3
precinct) now became Stoughton' s Second Church and Precinct.
In 1797, the First Precinct became the town of Canton,
carrying with it the 1717 church, and leaving the 1744
church as Stoughton 1 s First Church. It is, of course, with
this latter church we have to do.

The orthodox withdrew in 1822 to form the present Congrega-
tional Church; the liberals remained in possession of the
parish, moving in a brief time from Unitarianism to Univer-
salism. Both churches today claim the 1744- date of origin.

Ministers :

Jedediah Adams
Edward Richmond

(ord. 1746; d. 1799)

(ord. 1792; res. 1817; d. 184-2)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of records, knowledge of the
church's deacons is fragmentary.

George Talbot
Lt. Roger Sumner
Lt. John Holmes

(m.
(e.
(e.

1745-1759)

1795)

1795)

In 1792, the only record of the church's preceding history
consisted in a brief account of the church's gathering in
1744, and the names of its first twenty-four members. x To
this account, the second minister added his records for the
years 1792-1817- This book, 1744/1792-1817, was sequestered
by the orthodox in 1822, then returned to the First Parish,
and has since dropped from sight. Similarly, the records of
the Unitarian-Universalist body for the years foiiowing 1828
have disappeared.

CR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1744/1792-1822.

1. D. Hamilton Hurd, History of Norfolk County , Massachu-
setts, with Biographical Sketches of Hany of Its Pioneers
and Prominent Hen (.Philadelphia , 1554), p. 395-

598

CR II - Church Records, 1822-1828. Owned "by the First Par-
ish Church, and deposited at "Che Stoughton Public Library.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 1828-

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Accounts, 1745-1759, also
held by the Stoughton Public Library.

A fire in 194-2 destroyed all r>rior records owned and held
by the First Congregational Church of Stoughton.

See also Hurd, 0£. cit . ; Daniel T. V. Huntoon, History of
the Town of Canton , Norfolk County , Massachusetts (Cambridge.
1895J>;George W. Cooke, Origin and Early History of the
First Parish , Sharon , Massachusetts (Boston" 1QQ3T7 John E.
Jlynn, mimeographed "Stoughton, Mass: A Study in Local
History," 1932, owned and held by the Stoughton Public
Library.

STOUGHTON, First Church and Parish (see Canton)

STOUGHTON, Second Precinct (see Sharon)

STOUGHTON, Second Precinct (see Stoughton)

STOUGHTON, Third Precinct (see Stoughton).

599

STOUGHTONHAM, Church (see Sharon)

STOW, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered at some point during the years 1699-
1701.1 Its parish was organized in 1833* The church was
reorganized in 184-0.

Ministers: John Eveleth

John Gardner
Jonathan Newell

Ruling elders: none.

(inst. 1702; dism. 1717; d.

173*)

(ord. 17 18; d. 1775)
(ord. 1774; d. 1830)

Deacons: due to the sparseness of the church records, the
list of deacons must be derived from the town records.

Thomas Daby
Ebenezer Graves
Timothy Gibson
John Hale
Joshua Whitney
Samuel Gates
Daniel Hapgood
Stephen Gibson
William Whitcomb

fm. 1727)

On. 1755)

(d. 1757)

(a. 1766

(m. 1769

(a. 1788

;a. 1790)

d. 1806) Q

a. 1812)*

The records are owned and held by tne church, unless other-
wise noted.

CR I - "The First Parish of Stow, 1701-1937." Brief epitomes
of pastorates, 1828-1937, with scattered references to church
activities, 1701-1828.

1. According to GR I, flyleaf: "Organized in 1701 under
the pastoral charge of Rev. John Eveleth. Reorganized in
1840 by Rev. W. H. Kinsley."

2. The following deacons died after 1812, most of them at
an advanced age, so that some at least may have been elected
before 1806: Isaac Whitney (d. 1815), Abraham Whitney (d.
1818, ae. 93), Samuel Gates (d. 1834, ae. 78), John Patch
(d. 1841, ae. 93), and Jacob Whitney (d. 1844, ae. 85).

600

CR II - "Records of the First Parish, Stow, Mass. July
1879." Church records, 1879-194-9.

Miscellaneous records: fragments from memorandum book,
1786-1787, listing sermons preached and a few baptisms; Pew
Deeds, 1848, owned and held by the Historical Library of
the Unitarian Universalist Association, Boston.

See also Jonathan Newell, A Sermon , Preached at Stow , on
the 16th of May , 178? (Boston, 1784); John Garaner, "An
Account o?~the Town of Stow," MHSC, 1st Ser. , X (1809;
rep. 1857), 83-84-; Charles Lowell, Theology , and Not Reli -
gion , the Source of Division and Strife in the Christian
ChurchT Soston, 1529); J- Sidney Moult on ancFSamuel C. Beane,
1702 1902 The Two Hundredth Anniversary of the First Par -
lsn Church of Stow , Massachusetts (n.p. , T902); Lon R. Call,
typescript ,"""" Address at the 100th Anniversary Re-dedication
Service of the Meeting House of the First Parish of Stow,
Mass. August 29, 19^8," owned and held by the church.

STOW, Church and Society in the North-westerly part (see
Boxboro).

STREAMFIELD (see Westfield, First).

3TURBRIDGS, Federated (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 29, 1736 in the area then
known as "New Medfield." When the area was made the town
of Sturbridge in 1738, the church's name was accordingly

601

changed. Its Congregational Society was organized in 1831
and dissolved in 1898.

A New Light separation from the church in 174-7 eventually
led to the estaolishment of a Baptist church in the town.

Ministers :

Caleb Rice
Joshua Paine
Otis Lane

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Daniel Fiske

Ebenezer Stearns
Isaac Newell

Joseph Baker
Edward Foster
Moses Weld
Joshua Harding

Benson

Roland Clark
J oh Hammant

Eleazar Hebard
Shaw

ord. 1736; d. 1759)
ord. 1761; d. 1799)
ord. 1800; dism. 1819; d. 1842)

(e. 1736; demitted to Separates

174-7)

(e. 1736; res. and rem. 174-3)
(e. 174-1; au 1751; demitted to
Separates n.d.)

e. 174-7; d. 1783)
e. 174-9; nu 1760)
e. 1764- ; m. 1788)

m. 1784--1788)

"d. 1786)

t m. 1786)

,m. 1802: res. 1807)

!nu 1804-)
(m. 1805)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "New=Medfield Chh Records."
vital statistics to 1767.

1730, 1736-1764, with

CR I COPY - "Church Records, Vol. 1st (Copied) 1736 to 1758."
Copy made in 1896 by A. Holbrook.

CR II - Church Records, 1786-1789, 1800-1801, with vital
statistics 1786-1801 and marriages only, 1800-1819-

1. "January 1801. Be it known to all whom it may concern,
that this book was torn & mutilated when it came into hand.
Otis Lane." CR I, n.p.

2. "• . • voted that I should record a number of Baptisms
which had been omitted by the Revd Mr. Pain through mistake
or lost, with a volume of chh. records, taken from his house
in the night, some time in the year 1787: which baptisms are
recorded on the 29th & 30, 31th, 32d pages." CR II, p. 8,
under date of July 9, 1801.

602

CR III - "The Records of the Congregational Church in Stur-
bridge. From December 10th, 1800." 1800-1819.

CR IV - "Congregational Church of Sturbridge. Book of Rec-
ords. Commencing with the year 1819." 1819-1831.

VS IV - "Book of Records. Marriages & Deaths. Sturbridge."
1819-1851.

CR V - "Records of The first Congregational Church in Stur-
bridge. commencing with the 27 October 1831." 1831-1895.

SR I - "Records of the Congregational Society in Sturbridge
Commencing April 27th AD 1831." 1831-1871-

SR II - "Records of the Congregational Society in Sturbridge
April 1st 1871." 1871-1898.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurers Accounts, 1827-
1883; Pew Rent Accounts, 1856-1857-

See also Manual for the Use of the Members of the Congrega -
tional Church in Sturbridge ." January 1845 Q«est Brookfield,
Mass. , 1843) ; George H. Haynes, Historical Sketch of the
First Congregational Church, Sturbridge , Massachusetts
(Worcester, 1910).

STURBRIDGE, Separate (C), extinct.

The Sturbridge New Lights withdrew from the town church in
May of 1747, and on May 10 following, gathered themselves
into a Separate Congregational church. Among their number
were two deacons of the town church, as well as the man who
eventually became their pastor.

In May of 1749, having made a study of Hew Testament teach-
ings on baptism, the pastor and sixty Separates accepted
Baptist principles, received adult baptism, and thereby con-
cluded the church's career as a Separate Congregational
church. Those few who did not declare for Baptist senti-
ments were eventually drawn back into the life of the town
church.

605

Minister: John Blunt

(ord. 1743; declared for Baptist
principles 174-9; returned to pedo-
baptist sentiments 1752 and was ex-
communicated by the now-Baptist
church; d. 1755)

Ruling elder: David Morse ?
Deacons: Deacon Daniel Fiske ?

Deacon Isaac Newell ?

;2

The only known records consist in a collection of twelve
MS letters, spanning the years 174-5-1762, owned and held by
the Congregational Library, Boston. Nine of the letters are
statements of reasons for separation, given by New Lights to
the town church; two are later expressions of sorrow for
having engaged in the separation; one is an admonition
written to a Separatist by the minister of the town church.
Extensive use of this material has been made by Ola E.
Vinslow in Meetinghouse Hill , 1650 - 1783 (New York, 1952),
pp. 231-236.

SUDBURY, First Parish (U).

The ancient church at Sudbury was gathered in August of 164-0,
and its associated Precinct on the West Side of the River
was incorporated in 1708. The development of a second

1. Isaac Backus, A Church History of New-5ng;land , II
(Providence, 1784-), p. 192, remarks that an early member of
the Separate Congregational church, David Morse, was a rul-
ing elder of the Sturbridge Baptist church, and implies that
he filled the same office in the short-lived Separate Con-
gregational conventicle.

2. Among the original Separates were Sturbridge deacons
Fiske and Newell, and it seems probable that one or both of
them served the Separate church in that capacity. See
George H. Haynes, Historical Sketch of the First Congrega -
tional Church, Sturbridge , Massachusetts (Worcester, 1910) »
pp. 13-15; C, C~ Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New
Sngland, 174-0 - 1800 (New Haven and london, 1962), pp. 101-103

604

center of population in 1722 led to the organization of an
East (Second) Parish, and on Feb. 11, 1723 to the division
of the ancient church into two independent bodies: the West
Church (now Sudbury) and the East Church (now Wayland).
The first trace of friendly rivalry for the right to the
164-0 date appeared in 1765, when the West Church voted it-
self "the First Church of Sudbury," because the "standing
part" of the ancient church had formed a church in the East
Parish. 1 The East Church replied in 1780, denominating it-
self the First Church in East Sudbury; when the area was
made the town of Wayland in 1835 ♦ the name of the First Church
and Parish of Wayland was adopted. 2

The West (First) Church of Sudbury took the title of First
Congregational Unitarian Church in 1844, and its parish was
designated the First Unitarian Society. The Trustees of ,
the Sudbury Ministerial Fund had been incorporated in 1817.

Ministers:

Edmund Brown
James Sherman
Israel Loring

Jacob Bigelow

Ruling elders: none.

(ord. 1640; d. 1678)

(ord. 1678; dism. 1705; d. 1718)

(ord. 1706; remained with West

Church 1723; d. 1772)

(ord. 1772; d. 1816)

1. SUDBURY, CR I, p. 217.

2. While it may be splitting hairs to argue the two claims
to the 1640 date, both churches obviously being descended
from the ancient church, it should be observed that (a) the
ministerial continuity rests with Sudbury, (b) from 1723
until 1765 there seems to have been no quarrel with the
notion that the Vest Church was the ancient church, and (c)
not until 1780 did the East Church evince much interest in
the title "First."

3. The present Congregational Cnurch of Sudbury, formed by
orthodox personnel who withdrew from the parish church in
1839-1840, also claims the 1640 date.

4. Sumner C. Powell, Puritan Village : The Formation of a
New England Town (New York, 1965) » P- 1, refers to one of
the founders of Sudbury, Peter Noyes, as a "church elder,"
but provides no documentation for that claim.

605

Deacons :

Edmund Rice
William Brown

Haines

Joseph Noyes
James Haines
Edmund Rice
Matthew Stone
John Clap
John Moore
Josiah Haines
Jonathan Rice
Jacob Moore
Thomas Plympton
Samuel Dakin
Oliver Noyes
Thomas Walker

(m. 1649)

(m. 1669)

m. 1705-1706)

m. 1705-1723)

m. 1705-1706)

e. 1718)

e. 1719; m. 1725)

m. 1723; eta. 17^7)

e. 1733; d. 1775)

e. 1736; m. 1756)

e. 1762; m. 1772)

e. 1771; m. 1772)

e. 1775)

e. 1788)

e. 1789)

The records antedating 1704, with the exception of some
vital statistics, have long been lost. The extant records
are owned by the church and deposited with a local bank,
unless otherwise noted.

CR I - "Church Records of Sudbury. 1st Parish. 1704."
Vital statistics, 1640-1873, and church votes, 1705, 1724-
1873; lacuna, 1834-1866.

VS I COPY A - Church Records, largely vital statistics,
being a MS copy of the earlier entries in CR I.

VS I COPY B - "Church Records of Sudbury 1st Parish 1704."
MS copy of CR I. Owned and held by the New England Historic
Genealogical Society, Boston.

1. A "Summary History" printed in 1832, a copy of which is
pasted on the inside cover of CR I, states that in that
year, the only surviving church records for the years 1640-
1705 consisted in fragmentary vital statistics.

S umn er Powell, op. cit., observes the lack of early
church records (p. 502), but then all too casually accepts
the verdict of "local historians" (whom he does not identify)
that "the first Sudbury 'church 1 did not even keep a sepa-
rate book" of records (p. 183)- Powell's reasons for punc-
tuating the word church as he does are not explained; his
unwarranted assumption that records were not kept is a flaw
in an otherwise helpful scholarly performance.

606

VS II - "Jacob Bigelows Book. 1722." Vital statistics,
1772-1814-.

PR I - "Records of the First Parish in Sudbury, 1836-1956."

HP I - Records of the Trustees of the Ministerial Fund,
1817-1858.

See also [Israel Loring] , "Memoir of Sudbury," MHSC, 1st
Ser., X (1809, rep. 1857), 86-88; "A TopographicaT~Descrip-
tion and Historical Account of East Sudbury [Waylandj , in
the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts,
including its Ecclesiastical History," MHSC » 2nd Ser., IV
(1816, rep. 1846), 60-63; Alfred S. Hudson, The History of
Sudbury . Massachusetts . 1638 - 1889 (Boston, 1559);
William L. Raymond, The First Parish, Way land . Massachu -
setts . 1640 - 1940 (n.p., 1940; abstracted and printed in
The Wayland Chronicle . XXVIII, iii (Ja. 19, 1940); John C.
Power and Carl Scovel, "The History of the First Parish in
Sudbury," mimeographed item, copy owned and held by the
Sudbury church.

SUDBURY, East Parish and Church (see Wayland).

SUDBURY, West Parish and Church (see Sudbury, First).

SUDBURY, West Side of the River Precinct (see Sudbury,
First).

607

SUNDERLAND (C).

The church was gathered on Jan. 1, 1718 in the town of
Sunderland, popularly known until the middle of that century
as "Swampfield. " The First Congregational Society was
organized in 1831-

A New Light withdrawal in 1749 saw several families holding
Separate^worship until 1761, when they migrated to Benning-
ton, Vt. No evidence exists of a Separate church having
been formed.

Ministers :

Joseph Willard (ord. 1718; rem. 1721;

d. 1723)
William Rand (ord. 1724; dism. 174-5;

d. 1779)
Joseph Ashley (inst. 174-7; demitted 1784;

d. 1797)
Asa Lyon (ord. 1792; dism. 1794;

d. 1841)
David H. Williston (inst. 1804; dism. 1806;

d. 1845)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Samuel Gunn
Isaac Hubbard
Samuel Montague
Joseph Field
Nathaniel Smith
Joseph Field II
John Gunn

Jedidiah Clark
Elisha Smith
Elijah Hubbard

(e. 1718; d. 1755)
(e. 1718; d. 1750),
(e. 1761; d. 1779)*
(e. 1750; d. 1754.'

e. 1750; d. 1789

e. 1768; d. 1798

e. ca. 1779; dism. and rem. n.d. ;
d. 1793)

(e. 1792; d. 1800)
(e. 1792; d. 1820)
(e. 1799; demitted to Baptists,
n.d.; d. 1834)

1. C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Separatism in New England,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962;, pp

103, 517-

2. Sometimes given as "Samuel Green."

3. Montague apparently served a term as deacon at Sunder-
land before the dates given here, but the details of that
first term are unknown.

608

John Montague (e. 1805; d. 1832)
Sleazar Warner (e. 1805; d. 1829)

The records of the church Tor 1718-1832 were destroyed in
the latter year. The extant records are owned by the
church and held by the Swampfield Historical Society, which
has quarters in the local public library.

CR I - "Church Records 1833 to 1893." Historical memoranda,
1718-1833; church records, 1833-1893-

CR II - "Church Records." 1894-1937.

VS I - Vital Statistics, compiled 1867, with later additions
174-9-1897.

VS II - Vital Statistics, 1898-1940.

SR I - HISSING, Society Records, 1831-1842.

SR II - "First Cong'l Society Records 1842 to 1897." (Fly-
leaf: "Records of the first Congregational Society in Sun-
derland Book No 2: AD 1842.")

Miscellaneous records: Society Assessors Rate Books, 1831 ,
1832, 1833, 1834, 1855, 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1843,
1844, 1845, 1846, 1847-1849, 1850, 1851/1853, 1852-1855,
1856/1857/1861/1863/1865/1867, 1858/1860, 1862/1864/1866,
1868, 1869/1871; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1865-1900;
Ministerial Fund Accounts, 1831, 1832.

See also Isaac Jennings, Memorials of a Century . Embracing
a Record of Individuals and Events chiefly in the Early
History of Bennington , Vt . and Its" First Church CBoston,
1869); PVKAHP , I (1870-187977" passim ; John N. Smith, 1673
1899 History of the Town of Sunderland , Massachusetts
(Greenfield, 18$97T~

1. See Jennings, op. cit . , p. 49; also flyleaf of VS I.

609

SUNDERLAND, North Parish (see

Montague).

SUNDERLAND, Second Church and Precinct/Parish

(see Montague).

SUTTON, :

First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 9, 1720. \

Che

First Congre-

gational

Society was incorporated in

1794;

it

was reincorpo-

rated in

1808 as the South Parish in

Sutton.

Ministers: John McKinstry

(ord. .

1720; <

lism. 1728;

d. 1754;

David Hall, D.D.

Cord.
Cord.

1729; <

1. .

1789)
1825)

Edmund Mills

1790; <

1.

Ruling e

lders: none.

Deacons :

Timothy Manning

(e.

1720:
1730)

dism. and rem.

ca.

Percival Hall

te.

1721 ;

m.

1747)

Elisha Putnam

(e.

1730;

m.

1739)

Samuel Lilley

(e.

1737;

m.

1741)

Cornelius Putnam

(e.

1744;

m.

1759)

Benjamin Woodbury

(e.

1744;

d.

1781)

Benjamin Morse, M.D

1761;

d.

1776)

John Pry

(e.

1762;

di

sm. and rem.

1764)

Tarrant Putnam

(e„

1765;

m.

1787)

Willis Hall

(e.

1775;

m.

1787)

John Haven

(e.

1775;

d.

1784)

Nathan Putnam, Esq.

(e.

1791)

Daniel Torrey

(e.

1794)

Reuben Putnam

Ce.

1794;
1800)

d.

1797)

Benjamin Hicks

(e.

Jonathan Leland, Esq. (e.

1800)

610

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Record 1720-1825 Vol. I." (Flyleaf: "A
Book of, Records pertaining to the Church of Christ in Sutton
17^3.")

CR II - "Church Records Vol. II 1825-1859." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the Church of Christ in Sutton. Vol. II. Com-
mencing At the Death of the Rev. E. Hills Novr. 7th 1825.")

CR III - "Church Records Vol. Ill 1859-1887." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the Congregational Church in Sutton. Vol. III.
Commencing June 1st 1859.")

CR IV - "Church Record Vol. IV 1887-1911." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the Congregational Church in Sutton, Ma6s.
Vol. IV. Commencing January 1st, 1887.")

SR I - "Society Record 1743-1773 Vol. I."

SR II - "Society Records Vol II 1783 to 1847."

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1811-
1846; Extracts of wills and deeds, 1855-1950; Society Com-
mittee Accounts, 1808-1869; Pew Deeds, 1830-1895, 1849-1882.

SUTTON, Separate (C), extinct.

Sutton New Lights gathered a church here and ordained a
minister on Jan. 31, 1751. By 1765, its condition was
sufficiently weak so that it was eclipsed by the Baptist
church organized in Sutton in that year.

Minister: Ezekiel Cole (ord. 1751; d. 1799)

Since there are no extant records of this church, nothing
is known of its lay officers.

1. The records for 1720-1728 were taken by McKinstry at
the time of his dismissal from the pastorate.

611

See Isaac Backus, A Church History of New- Engl and . Extend -
ing from 1783 to 1?96 C Boston, 179677 pp. 176-177; C7TJ7
Go en. Revivalism and Separatism in New England, 174-0 - 1800
(New Haven and London, 1962), p. 318.

SUTTON, North Parish (see Millbury).

SUTTON, Second Church and Parish (see Millbury)

3WAMPFIELD (see Sunderland),

[SWANSEA, First Christian Church (C).]

The church was gathered in 1693 , being the second church in
Swansea. From that time until 1803, it was ecclesiastically
independent, requiring of prospective members only an affir-
mation of general Christian beliefs • From 1803 to 1819, the
church was loosely affiliated with the Six-Principle Bap-
tists; then in 1820, it severed that relationship, and re-
mained independent for some sixty more years.
About 1880, the church associated with the Rhode Island and

1. The first was a Baptist church gathered in 1663-

612

Massachusetts Christian Conference. When that denomination
merged with the Congregational Churches in ±929, the Swansea
church participated in the merger.

Ministers: Thomas Barnes

Joseph Mason
John Pierce
Job Mason
Russell Mason
Benjamin Mason

(ord. 1693i recognized by the
General Court as a "Separatist"
cleric; d. 1706)
'sett. 1709; ord. 1719; d. 1743)

ord. 1715; d. 1750)

ord. 1738; d. 1775)
(ord. 1752; d. 1799)
(ord. 1784; d. 1813)

Lay officers: since there are no extant records of this
church, virtually nothing is known of its lay personnel.
The first deacon was Isaac Mason, a brother of the second
minister; he was elected in 1693 and died in 1742.

See Isaac Backus, A Church History of New aagland . II (Prov-
idence, 1784), p. 53, and III (Boston, "1796)" *>• 145 J
Leonard Bliss, Jr., The History of Rehoboth . Bristol County,
Massachusetts (Boston, 1836); D. "Hamilton Kurd (ed.),
History of Bristol County . Massachusetts , with Biographical
Sketches of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men (Phila-
delphia, 1883), pp. 2^-494, 652-578; Otis 0. Wright,
History of Swansea . Massachusetts , 1667 - 19J-7 (Fall River,
1917); Richard L. Bowen, Early Rehoboth : Documented
Historical Studies of Families and Events in Thi s Flymouth
County ToTmshio CRehoboth, 194S^55T7~?rVoTs':

TAUNTON, First Church and Parish (Community Church).

The church was gathered in 1637; in 1792 it took the title
of First Church. The First Congregational Society was in-
corporated in 1791, and the Trustees of the Society in 1793
Church and society united as one body in 1937.

1. Two old record books, held by the Town Clerk, pertain
to the "Swanzey Village Meeting house" and not to the church
under discussion.

615

In 1962, after a year of negotiation, the church voted to

take leave of the Unitarian

Universalist denomination, and

to become a community church.

Ministers: William Hooke

(ord. pastor 164-0/4-1;

rem. 1644- ; d, 1677/78)

Nicholas Street

(ord. teacher 1640/4-1;

rem. 1659; d. 1674- )

George Shove

(ord. 1665; d. 1687)

Samuel Danforth,

Jr. (ord. 1687; d. 1727)

Thomas Clap

(ord. 1729; dism. 1738;

d. 1774- )

Josiah Crocker

(ord. 174-2; dism. 1765;
d. 1774)

Caleb Barnum

(inst. 1769; d. 1776)

Elias Jones

(ord. 1777; dism. 1778)

Ephraim Judson

(inst. 1780; dism. 1790;

d. 1813)

John Foster

(inst. 1792; dism. 1799;

d. 1832)

John Pippon

(ord. 1800; d. 1821)

Ruling elders: John Strong

I 1

Henry Hodges

Deacons: Walter Deane

Samuel Deane ^
Richard Williams

Nathaniel Williams-' (d. 1692)

John Staples

(e. 1725; rem. 1731 )

Samuel Sumner

(e. 1730: m. 1733)
(e. 1731)

William Hodges

John Mason

(e. 173D

Cm. 1780-1792)

Robert Luscombe

Simeon Williams

(m. 1780; rem. to Taunton

West Church 1792)

1. The names of these two Taunton elders are given in

Samuel Hopkins Emery, The Ministry of Taunton, with Inci-

dental Notices of Other Pro:!

Cessions (Boston, 1855)* P» 238.

2. The first three deacons

are listed by Emery, loc. cit.

3. See "The Estate of Deac<

m Nathaniel Williams," MD, XXII

(1920), 60-62.

614

Daniel Wilde

Robert Crosman, Jr.

Nathaniel Briggs

Capt. Ebenezer Dean
Capt. Abraham Hewitt

(e # 1781; rem. to Taunton
West Church 1792)
(m. 1790; rem. to Taunton
West Church 1792; m. 1810)
(m. 1790; rem. to Taunton
West Church 1792)

e. 179^; m. 1808)

e. 1794; m. 1808)

Most of the pre-1780 church records were destroyed by fire
in 1838- The extant records are owned and held by the
church, unless otherwise noted.

CR I MISC - "Book of Justice Thomas Clap - Court Records,
1729-1774." Private records kept by Clap during his pastor-
ate: church votes and marriages, 1729-1739; records as
justice of the peace, 1744-1774. Owned and held by the Old
Colony Historical Society, Taunton.

CR I -"Church Records. No. 1. 1780. 1." (Flyleaf:
"Chh Book - 1792 Taunton 16th May, 1792 Records of the
proceedings of the first Congregational chh, in Taunton
AD 1792.") Copy of church records, 1729-I739; church rec-
ords, 1780-1795, with vital statistics to 1832.

CR II - "Records of the church united with the first con-
gregational Society in Taunton, Jany. 15. 1800. No. 2.
N.B. All the records anteceding to 1780, have been lost,"
1799-1817.

CR III - "Records of the Church connected with the first
Congregational Society in Taunton 1821." 1821-1865.

VS I - Signatures to the Church Covenant, n.d. (19th cen-
tury).

SR I - Society Records, 1791-1816.

SR II - Society Records, 1816-1838.

SR III - "Records of the First Congregational Society in
Taunton 1839-1875- No. 3."

SR IV - "Records of the First Congregational Society in
Taunton 1875-1910. No. 4."

Miscellaneous records: Ministerial Correspondence, 1796-
1925; Society Register of Membership, 1868-1909; Society
Treasurer's Accounts, 1823-1834, 1851-1875, 1875-1878,

615

1878-1882, 1878-1888, 1883-1885, 1889-1894, 1894--1897, 1897-
1900; Society Trustees Records, 1796-1871; Pew Deeds. 1842-
1877.

See also Covenant of the First Congregational Church , in
Taunton, with a List of Members * January l t 1853 (Taunton.
18537; Samuel Hopkins - Smery, o£. cit. and History of Taunton ,
Massachusetts from Its Settlement to the Present Time
(Syracuse, N.Y. , 1893) ; ~frirst Parish Church 5?5th Anniver-
sary 1637 - 1962 Oldest House of Religion in 3ristonTounty
Taunton , Massachusetts , U.S.A. June 3 to 10, 1962 LTaunton,
1962 J. -*— *

TAUNTON, West (C).

The church was gathered on March 2, 1792 when all but four
members of the old Taunton church withdrew in protest
against the settlement of John Foster. The West Congrega-
tional Society, organized in 1791 » was incorporated in 1793
In 1951 the society dissolved, at the time of the church's
incorporation.

Minister: from 1792 until 1809, the church was supplied by
the Rev. Ephraim Judson and others; in 1809, it settled its
first minister.

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon Simeon Williams

Deacon Daniel Wilde

Deacon Robert Crosman, Jr

(m« as deacon Taunton

First 1780; rem. here

1792)

(e. deacon Taunton

First 1781; rem. here

1792)

(m. as deacon Taunton

First 1790; rem. here

1792; res. 1810)

616

Deacon Nathaniel Briggs (m. as deacon Taunton

First-, 1790; rem. here
1792 ) x

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the Old
Colony Historical Society, Taunton.

CE I - "Church Records - No. 1." (Flyleaf: "A Record of
the proceedings of the only Congregational Church of Christ
in Taunton in the County of Bristol, in Massachusetts -
Beginning March 2d AD. 1792.") 1792-1924.

SR I - "A Register: 1791 ." (Flyleaf: "A Book of Record of
the Proceedings, from Time to Time, in the Ministerial Con-
cerns of the congregational Inhabitants of the first con-
gregational Society in Taunton, who assemble nigh the
dwelling House of Nathaniel Briggs in the westerly Part of
sd. Town for the Purpose of carrying on the social Worship
of Almighty God. 1791.") Society records, 1791-1846.

3R II - "Record of the proceedings of West-Congregational
Society in Taunton." 1847-1951.

Miscellaneous records: Society Collector's Accounts, 1895-
1896, 1896-1897, 1897-1898; Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1796-1858, 1821-1850, 1860-1883, 1883-1921, 1886-1890.

TAUNTON, North Precinct (see Norton, Congregational Parish)

TAUNTON NORTH-PURCHASE, East End (see Easton).

1. The records mention "Deacon Isaac Tubbs" in 1803, and
"Deacon Nathaniel Deane" in 1810. Actually, Tubbs was
elected in 1607, and Deane in 1810.

617

TAUNTON, South Precinct (and Church in) (see Dighton, First)

TEMPLETON, First Federated (U/C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 10, 1755 as the Church in
Narragansett, No. 6. In 1762, the tract became the town of
Templeton, and the church's name was duly changed.
The" First Parish, organized in 1806, was dissolved in 1923,
at the time of the church 1 s incorporation. More recently,
a federation has been effected, joining the old Unitarian
church with the Congregational body which separated from the
town church early in the 19th century.

Ministers: Daniel Pond

(ord. 1755; <lism. 1759;
d. 1797)
Bbenezer Sparhawk (ord. 1761; d. 1805)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons: Charles Baker

Jonas Wilder
Phineas By am
Paul Kendall
Josiah Wilder

(e. 1763; res. and rem. 1?85;

d. 1813)

(e. 1767; rem. 1782-1789)
e. 1767; d. 1807)
e. 1780; d. ca. 1825)
e. 1790; d. ca. 1815)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - Church Records, 1754-1805-

CR II - Church Records, 1807-1856.

CR III - Church Records, 1860-1886.

CR I II, III COPY - "Book of Records Containing the Votes
&c of y Church in Templeton." Copy made by B. Wyman
Stone, n.d.

PR I - Parish Records, 1806-1874.
PR II - Parish Records, 1888-1923.

618

Miscellaneous records: Ministerial Fund Trustees Records ,
1814-1830. Also the records of the orthodox church formed
in the 19th century: Church Records, 1868-1922: Society
Records, 1832-1879.

TENPLSTON, Second Church (see Phillipston).

TEMPL3T0N, West Church and Parish (see Phillipston).

TEWK3SURY (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 23, 1737, and received in-
corporation in 1891.

Ministers: Samson Spaulding Cord, 1737; d. 1796)

Titus Theodore Barton (ord. 1792; dism. 1803;

d. 1827)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Daniel Kittredge
Nathan Shed
Joseph Kittredge
Abraham Stickney
Isaac Kittredge
Jacob Shed
Sldad Worcester
Ezra Kendall

1737/38;
1737/38;
1741/42;
1759; d.
1759; d.
1774; d.
1776; d.
1779; d.

d. 1742
d. 1774
d. 1774

1783
1779
1810

1779)
1817)

The records are owned and held by the church

619

CR I - "Church Records." 173*, 1737-1850.

CR II - "The Records of The Transactions of the Church of
Christ in Tewksbury — of the persons admitted to the Com-
munion of the Church. — of Baptisms in the Church. — And
of Marriages, and deaths in the Town. As collected,
recorded & kept by Titus Theodore Barton Pastor of said
Church." 1792-1803-

CR III - "Records of the Congregational Church in Tewksbury
From February 24-, 1847." 184-7-1891.

CR IV - Church Records, 1891-1909.

THORKDIKE, Church (see Palmer).

LTISBURY, Meeting House, (C) & (U) Churches.]

Since reference is occasionally made to early church activi-
ties at Tisbury, a brief entry is required at this poxnt.

Tisbury 's residents were first ministered to by the Rev.
Jonn Mayhew, from 1673 to 16S9 pastor of the church in what
is now West Tisbury. That the Rev. Experience Mayhew ac-
cepted a call to be "teacher" at Tisbury is extremely

1. Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on the Custody and Condi-
tion of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns, and Counties,"
Public Documents of Massachusetts . . . for the Year 1897 ,

II (Boston, 1898), 185-

Tisbury is frequently called in the records by its
Indian name, Takemmy (or Taacame or Taukemy).

2. Charles E. Banks, The History of Martha's Vineyard ,
Dukes County , Massachusetts , in Three Volumes (Boston,
1911; Edgartown, 1925), I, p. 24-9.

620

doubtful, since such acceptance would have conflicted with
his missionary work to the whole of the Vineyard Indians.
However, it.is probable that he, like the Rev. Thomas West
(ca. 174-5), frequently preached at Tisbury. It is known
that in 1779* the Rev. George Daman of West Tisbuiy was
authorized by his congregation to give a fourth of his time
to preaching at Tisbury.

Not until about 1788 was a meetinghouse erected in Tisbury,
when the use of the building was allocated two-thirds of
the time to local Baptists and one-third of the time to
Tisbury Congregationalists. By the opening of the 19th
century, Baptists and Methodists were sufficiently numerous
in the area to permit both to organize churches of their own
The Congregationalists did not gather a church until 1825,
nor settle a minister until 1844. In 1859 they gave way to
local Universalists and Unitarians, who flourished briefly
and then also disappeared from the scene.

TISBURY, First Church and Society (see West Tisbury)

TISBURY, Westerly Parish (see West Tisbury).

TITICUT Indian Congregational Church (see Middleboro,
Titicut Indian Congregational Church).

1. Banks, od. cit. , II, p. 32.

621

TITICUT PRECINCT, Church (see Middleboro, North)

TOLLAND (C).

The church was gathered in 1798 as the Church in the Third
(West) Parish of Granville, the latter body having been
organized in 1790. The name was changed when Tolland was
made a town in 1810.

Minister: Roger Harrison

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Thomas Twining
Marvin R. Moore

(ord. 1798; dism. 1822; d. 1853)

(e. 1799; res. 1816; d. 181?)

1799; d. 1813)
The records are owned and held by the church.
CR I - "Records of the Church in West Granville."

1798-1816.

CR la - "Records of the Church of Christ in Tolland from the
Commencement of my Settlement over it as their Pastor which
was in January the 23, 1798." Parallels CR I; largely vital
statistics.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1816-1839.

CR III - "Church Records of Tolland." 1839-1876.

CR I, la, III COPY - Rollin H. Cooke, "Congregational Church,
Tolland, Mass." Copy of church records, 1798-1816, 1839-
1876, made in 1901; owned and held by the Berkshire
Athenaeum (Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

CR IV - "Church Records." 1886-1911.

SR I - Society Records, 1853-1953.

622

TOPSFIELD (C).

Although the church was gathered on Nov. *, 1663 , there is
a long-standing tradition of two earlier pastorates. If
William Knight was indeed ordained here in 16*1, some argu-
ment could be made for the existence of a gathered church
at Topsfield in that year. Conclusive evidence of such a
church's existence, however, is lacking. Knight apparently
did preach at Topsfield from 164-1 to 1651, and returned to
England in 1655 where he died in 169*/95. Similarly,
Capt. William Perkins served as a supply Treacher at Tops-
field from 1655 until the gathering of the church in 1663
(and possibly preached occasionally from then until his
death in 1682).

The precinct (frequently denominated "the Precinct at the
Hamlet"; was incorporated in 1713, and the Congregational
Parish in 182*.

Ministers: Thomas Gilbert

Jeremiah Hobart

Joseph Gapen
John Emerson
Daniel Breck

Asahel Huntington
i^uling elders: none.

Deacons: Isaac Cummings
Thomas Howlett
Thomas Perkins

Isaac Cummings
Nehemiah Abbot
3gt. Thomas Dorman
Ens. Samuel Howlett
John Howlett
Lt. Daniel Redington
Jacob Peabody
Lt, Ivory Hovey
George Bixby

(ord. 1663; dism. 1671:

d. 1673)

(ord. 1672; dism. 1680;

d. 1715)

(ord. 168*; d. 1725)

(ord. 1728; d. 177*;

(ord. 1779; rem. 1788;

d. lb*5)

(ord. 1789; d. 1813)

1677)
1678)

1676 ?; ord. 1684;
1686)
1686; ord. 1693; d. 1721)
1686; ord. 1693; d. 1707;
1701; d. 1716)
1701; d. 1720)
1723; d. 1735)
1716; res. 1729; d. 1732)
1729; d. 17*9'
1735; d. 1759
17*9; d. 1783

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Ohurches of New England (Lancaster. Mass., T$36"T7~pp. 12l-

John Gould
Maj. Joseph Gould
Stephen Poster
Solomon Dodge
John Gould, Jr.
Daniel Bixby

(e. 1767;

(e. 1778;

Ce. 1778;

(e. 1781;

(e. 1797;

(e. 1799;

d. 1778)
res. 1799;
d. 1791)
res. 1797;
d. 1820)
d. 1825)

d. 1803)
d. 1812)

There are no records antedating 1684; the extant records are
owned by the church and kept at the Town Hall.

CR I - Church Records, 1684-1725-

VS I - John H. Gould (ed.), "Early Records of the Church in
Topsfield," EIHC, XXIV (1887), 181-205. Vital statistics,
1684-1725; town votes, 1680-1684. Offprinted Salem, 1888.

CR II - Church Records, 1726-1870.

VS II - H. G. Dunnel (ed.), "List of Members of the Old
Church, Topsfield," NEHGR, XVI (1862), 212-215. 1684-1751,
incomplete.

VS III - George F. Dow (ed.), "Baptismal Records of the
Church in Topsfield," SIHC, XXXI (1894-1895), 1-42 [1727-
1779], XXXII (1896), 25^4g [1799-1841]. Reprinted THSHC,
I (1895), II (1896).

CR PUB - "Records of the Congregational Church in Topsfield,"
THSHC, XIV (1909), 1-87- 1684-1800, omitting vital statis-
tics.

PR I - Parish Records, 1824-1878.
PR II - Parish Records, 1879-1911.

See also The Confession of Faith and Covenant of the Con -

§ relational Church in TopsfieldT Adopted HarchT7 . 1859 .
oftether with a List oT the Members of the Church , Jan . 1,
1864 (Salem, 158ZT; Sidney Perley. "ToVsTIeld » " History of
Sssex County . Massachusetts , with Biographical Sketches of
Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Men , ed. P. Hamilton Hurd
TPhiladelphia, 1888), ~TT, pp. 972-98§7 " T ^e Seating of the
Meeting House, 1762 and 1771," THSHC . VII (1901), pp. 90-104.

1. Some of these vital statistics appear in THSHC . IX
(1903).

624

T0WN3END, First Parish (U), extinct.
First Church (C).

The church was gathered on Oct- 16, 1734. In 1830 the
orthodox wing of the church withdrew, and soon after organ-
ized an affiliated society.

The Unitarian contingent steadily declined in strength, and
after 1838 was unable to support a settled minister. In
1852 the meetinghouse was sold to local Methodists. The in-
terests of the Orthodox Society and that of the First Parish
were united in the First Parish Religious Society incorpo-
rated in 1884; this latter body was dissolved at the time of
the church's incorporation in 1916.

Ministers:

Phinehas Hemenway (ord. 1734; d. 1760)

Samuel Dix (ord. 1761; d. 1797)

David Palmer (ord. 1800; dism. 1830;

d. 1849)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons :

Joseph Stevens
Isaac Spaulding
Samuel Clark
Jonathan Stow
Richard Wyer
James Hosley
Jonathan Wheelock
Daniel Adams, Jr.

(e. 1734; d. 1738)

e. 1734; d. 1776)

e. 1738; d. 1783)

e. 1763; d. 1780)

e. 1773; d. 1812)

e. 1778)

e. 1782)

e. 1782; d. 1827)

The records are owned by the surviving church, and are kept
in the cellar vault of the local town hall. There are no
church records for the Unitarian body following the split,
although prudential records for both the Unitarian and
orthodox groups are extant.

CR I - Church Records, 1734-1800.

CR II - "The Church's Book." 1800-1821, with vital statis-
tics to 1836.

VS II - Samuel Stone's Book. Vital statistics, 1800-1843.

CR III - "Orthodox Church: Clerk's Book." 1830-1878.

CR IIIA - Ministerial Records, 1831-1881.

PR I - "Parish Records." Unitarian parish, 1830-1880.

625

SR I - "Brick Meetinghouse Records." Largely accounts re-
lating to building of the orthodox meetinghouse, 1830-1854.

SR II - MISSING, Orthodox Society Records, 1854-1871.

SR III - "Orthodox Congregational Church Records — Benev-
olences (1871-1901), Treasurer of the Society (1897-1916),
Incorporated Church Records (1916-1949)."

Miscellaneous records: two vols. Parish Treasurer's Ac-
counts (badly charred by fire); two vols. Society Treasurer's
Accounts, 1850-1861, 1863-1880.

TOWNSHIP NO. 4 (see Becket, First, Chester).

TRURO, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 1, 1711-

Ministers: John Avery (ord. 1711; d. 1754)
Caleb Upham (ord. 1755; d. 1786)
Jude Damon (ord. 1786; d. 1828)

Ruling elders:

Thomas Mulf ord
Deacon Constant Freeman
Deacon John Snow
Deacon John Meyrick
Thomas Paine

1727; ord. 1728)
1727; ord. 1728)
1727; deposed)
1728 ) p

1728 r

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New England (Lancaster. Mass. , 193677~p. 275,
lists this as an extinct Unitarian church. No evidence has
been found, however, to justify Weis' claim.

2. The Truro ruling eldership, created in 1726, was
abolished in 1755.

626

Deacons: Hezekiah Purington
Constant Freeman

John Snow

John Meyrick

Moses Paine

Jonathan Vickery
Humphrey Purington
Barnabas Paine

Mulford Sldredy
Joshua Freeman
Anthony Snow
Ephraim Harding
Jonathan Snow
Anthony Snow, Jr.

(e. 1711; d. 1718)

(e. 1718; elev. to ruling

elder 1727 and ord. 1728)

(e. 1718; elev. to ruling

elder 1727; deposed)

(e. 1727 and ord. 1728; elev.

to ruling elder 1728)

(e. 1727 and ord. 1728;

d. 1764)

(e. 1728)

(e. 1742; res. 1746)

(e. 1742; deposed 1766;

d. 1768)

1742)
1750:
1766)

1775)
1796)
1802)

a. 1795)

The extant records to 1900 consist in two items, owned and
held as described below.

CR I - Church Records, 1709-1832. Owned by the church and
deposited with the Town Clerk.

CR I PUB - George 3. Bowman, "Truro, Mass., Church Records,"
KD, IX (1907), 53-58, 74-77, 175-178, 243-246, X (1908),
41-43, 149-152, XI (1909), 19-22, XVII (i9i5), 255-239,
XVIII (1916), 48-55, XXVI (1924), 119-128, 161-170, XXVII
(1925), 12-21, 71-79, 109-117, 155-168, XXVIII d950), 17-
26, 54-64, 120-127, 153-160, XXIX (1931), 34-38, 130-137,
163-171, XXX (1932), 28-36, 53-58, 105-109, 156-161, XXXI
(1933), 29-33, 54-59.

CR I MIN - Ministerial Records, 1755-1788. Owned, and held
by the First Congregational Church, Maiden, Mass.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1832-1900.

1. This book, comprising part of the estate of Rev. Caleb
Upham, was recovered by his father, Ruling Slder Sbenezer
Upham of Maiden's Second Church. The elder used the back
of the book for his own records. When the Second Church
merged with Maiden's First Church in 1792, the book became
the possession of the latter church.

627

TYNGSBORO, First Parish (U).

In 1755, Dunstable was divided into First and Second Par-
ishes, and two years later a church was gathered in the
Second Parish (modern Dunstable).

The First Parish became the town of Tyngsboro in 1789, and
on Nov. 30, 1789 the church with which we have to do was
gathered there. The First Parish in Tyngsboro was incorpo-
rated in 1834.

Minister: Nathaniel Lawrence (ord. 1790; res. 1839;

d. 1843)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jonathan Bancroft
John Farwell

(e. 1790; d. 1815)
(e. 1790; d. 1838)

The extant records to 1900 consistpin two items and a copy,
owned and held as described below.

CR I - "Nathaniel Lawrence, — Ordained January 6 1790."
1789-1939. Owned and held by the church.

CR I COPY - "Records of the First Parish Church in Tyngsbor-
ough. 1790-1839. Book 1. Church Proceedings." Undated
typescript copy, owned and held by the church.

PR I - HISSING, Parish Records, 1755-1803.

PR I COPY - "Records of The First Parish of Dunstable from
June 10th 1755 to Nov. 3rd 1788, and of the [District,
later] Town of Tyngsborough from July 20th 1789 to Feb. 14th
1803- Copied from Original Records in 1881 by Louville
Curtis." Owned and held by Mrs. Catharine V. Lambert,
Tyngsboro Historical Society.

1. A church had been gathered at Old Dunstable in 1685, hut
in 174-1 the area (and church) was set off to New Hampshire.
For an ill-fated attempt to gather a church at Dunstable in
17^7, see "DUNSTABL2, Separate (C), extinct."

2. The church officers believe that the 19th century rec-
ords of the church and parish, together with some of the
church silver, were placed in the keeping of some bank in
the area by a former church officer. At the time this in-
ventory was made, the missing items had not been located.

628

OTRINGHAM, First Church and Society (see Monterey)

UPTON, First (C).

n

The church was gathered in August of 1735- The First Parish
received incorporation in 1834. Short-lived was the organ-
ization known as the Stockholders of the Congregational
Meeting-house Society, begun in 1848, for after financing
the building of a new meetinghouse in 1853, the Stockholders
were disbanded.

The church itself was incorporated in 1898, at which time
the parish was dissolved.

Ministers:

Thomas Veld
31isha Fish
Benjamin Wood

(ord. 1738; dism. 1744; d. 1755)

ford. 1751; d. 1795)
(ord. 1796; d. 1849)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of early church records, the infor-
mation on this church's diaconate is fragmentary.

Samuel Nelson
Samuel Varfield
Jonas Warren
Jacob Hill
James 3radish
James Bradish, Jr.
John Warfield

e. before 1740; d. 1750)
e. before 1740; d. 1782)
>. 1757-1778)

(e. after 1757)

(e. after 1778)

The church records antedating 1857 have been lost for many
years; the extant items are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1735-1857-

CR II - "Records." 1857-1926.

VS I - "American Church Register. " Admissions to church and
congregation, 1799-188?.

VS II - "The American Church Register."
1882-1919.

Vital statistics,

629

PR I - "Records." Parish records, 1854-1886.
PR II - "Parish Records Upton." 1887-1898.

Miscellaneous records :
Deeds, 1849-1850.

Stockholders Records, 1843-1853; Pew

See also Benjamin Wood, A Centennial Address , Delivered at
Upton , Mass., June 25 » 1^55 (Boston, 1835); Benjamin VoocTJ"
A oeraon Delivered at Upton . . . June I, 1846 , being the
Day which~ComDleted~?i'fty Years from the Time of his Induc -
tion into the PasToral Office over the Church and People of
that Place (Worcester, 1846) ; Benjamin Wood, Sermons of Rev .
Benjamin Wood (Boston, 1850); Manual of the First Congrega -
tional Church , Upton , Mass . 1877 (Worcester, 1877T7"
Addresses Delivered at the Celebration of the One Hundred
and Seventy^ Fifth Anniversary of the~?irst Congregational
Church, Uoton. Massachusetts November Tenth Nineteen Hun -
dred and Ten (Boston, 1910); 1735 - June 25 - T9?>5T Upton ,
;achusetts. This Book Sponsored by Descendents of Four

Friends in the Town's Second Century ~TUpton, 1935) ; TIanuaT
of the First Congregational Church Upton , Massachusetts
Xn.p., 1936); Manual of the First Congregational Church "
Upton , Massachusetts Tn.p., 195*0. See also the mimeo-
graphed item owned and held by the church: Marjorie D. Taft,
"History of the First Congregational Church, Upton, Massa-
chusetts 1735-1960 225th Anniversary June 11-12, I960."

[UPTON, Unitarian Church (B/U).]

According to one authority, a Baptist church organized in
Upton in 1770, at a later (unspecified) date became Unitar-
ian. The actual sequence of events requires some brief
exposition.

A Baptist church was gathered in Upton in 1751 » and Abraham
Bloss was ordained its minister that same year. After

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass., 1936), p. 275-

2. Also given as "Blois" and "Boise."

630

Bloss 1 removal from Upton in 1767, the church drifted uncer-
tainly until 1770, when it was reorganized by an "Elder
Bois." It was sufficiently stable to settle a minister in
1790, but after his removal was reduced to hearing occasional
supply preachers.

In 1824 a new Baptist church was gathered; its leaders, how-
ever, were affiliated with the "Christian" movement. In
1847, this church merged its interests with those of the
First Unitarian Society, just then come into being. The
present Unitarian Church of Upton dates, then, from 184-7.

See the bibliography given under UPTON, First; also see
Charles W. McGehee, A History : First Unitarian Society ,
Upton . Massachusetts . 1847 - 195? tn.p., I960).

UXBRIDGE, First Congregational Society (U).

The church was gathered on Jan* 6, 1731. The First Congre
gational Society was incorporated in 1797*

Ministers: Nathan Webb (ord. 1730/31; d. 1772)
Hezekiah Chapman (ord. 1774; dism. 1781

d. 1794)
Josiah Spaulding (ord. 1783; dism. 1787

d. 1823)
Samuel Judson (ord. 1792; dism. 1832

d. 1832)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Edmund Raws on
Samuel Chap in
Samuel Read
Joseph Damon
John Spring
Nicholas Baylies
Gershom Taft

au 1744)

!m. 1746-1794)

irn. 1760; d. 1762)

(m. 1767-1784)

Ce. 1783; m. 1815)

(e. 1783; m. 1804)

1. Weis, loc . £it . , identifies this reorganization as the
gathering of a new Baptist church.

631

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the First Church of Uxbridge. 1730-1833."
Vital statistics, 1730/31-1833; church records, 1772-1833.

CR II - "First Congregational Society Uxbridge, Massachu-
setts. " (Flyleaf: "Records of The First Congregational
Church In Uxbridge, Massachusetts - Commencing, January 7»
1833.") 1833-1886, with vital statistics to 194-5.

SR I - "First Congregational Society, (Unitarian) Act of
Incorporation as of June 23, 1797. Records of Annual Meet-
ings June 23, 1797 to April 23, 184-9."

SR II - "First Congregational Society, (Unitarian) Records
of Annual Meetings April 29, 1852 to April 4-, 1923."

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1797-
1885; Society Treasurer's Order Book, 1797-184-9; Accounts
of Expenses of Building the Meeting House, 18 34-; Few Deeds,
1835-1860.

See also Frank L. Bristol, One Hundred and Sixty-One Years ;

Church , other-

££

Mass,

or A History of the Bvangelical Congregational Chu
wise known as the First Church o?~Christ in Uxbrid
Tuxbridge, 189T77 Cyrus A. Roys, A Sketch of the History of
the First Congregational Society of Uxbridge . Massachusetts
(n.p. , ca. I960).

WAKEFIELD, First (C).

Reading was settled in 1639, and its (First) church was

gathered on Nov. 5» 164-5.

In 1713, the residents of northern Reading successfully

petitioned to become a separate precinct. Reading's Second

Church was gathered here in 1720, and in 1853 this northern

precinct became the town of North Reading, and its church

the First in that town.

In 1770, the settlers of southern Reading gathered their own

church, Reading's Third (West) Church.

632

The remainder of Reading (exclusive of North Reading) was
divided in 1868 into the towns of Reading and Wakefield.
Wakefield carried with it the 164-5 church, the church with
which we now have to do.

The First (South) Parish of Reading is traditionally dated
from 1644. From 1812 to 1868 it was known as the First
Parish of South Reading, and after 1868 as the First Parish
of Wakefield. The Trustees of the South Parish Ministerial
Fund, incorporated in 1823, disbanded ca. 1847.

Ministers:

Henry Greene
Samuel Haugh
John Brock
Jonathan Pierpont
Richard Brown
William Hobby
Caleb Prentice
Reuben Emerson

Ruling elders: none.

p
Deacons: Zachariah Fitch

John Person

Thomas Kendall

Thomas Parker I

William Cowdry

Benjamin Fitch

Thomas Bancroft

John Damon

Thomas Boutell

Gapt. Thomas Nichols
Lt. John Pearson
Francis Smith I
John Goodwin
John Smith

Raham Bancroft
Nathaniel Stow
Capt. Kendall Parker

ord.

ord.

ord.

ord.
(ord.
(ord.
(ord.
(ord.

1645;

d.

1648

1650;

d.

1662

1662;

d.

1688

1689;

d.

1709

1712;

d.

1732

1733;

d.

1765

1765;

d.

1803

1804;

d.

1860

(e. 1645; d. 1662)

(eta. 1679)

Cd. 1681)

(d. 1683)

(d. 1687)

(e. 1690; d. 1713)

(eta. 1718)

(d. 1708)

(e. 1707; ord. 1708;

eta. 1737)

(e. 1712: eta. 1737)
e. 1712)

e. 1722; d. 1744)
e. 1722; eta. 1757)

_e. ca. 1734; eta. ca.

1746T

(e. 1737; eta. 1758)

(e. 1737; eta. ca. 1737)

(e. 1738; eta. T755)

1. From 1812 to 1868, the church bore the title of First
Church in South Reading.

2. See Szra S. Stearns, "The Descendents of Dea. Zachary
Fitch of Reading," NEHGR, LV (1901), 288-291, 400-407,
LVI (1902), 41-47.

633

Capt. Thomas Nichols II
Brown Emerson
Jonathan Temple

Capt. Benjamin Brown I
Samuel Bancroft, Jr.

John Smith
Jacob Emerson
John Bacheller

Capt. Benjamin Brown, Jr
Francis Smith, Jr.

Ebenezer Hopkins
Thomas Parker, Jr.
Oliver Swain
James Hartshorne

(e. 1738; eta.
(e. 1746; eta.
(e. 1746; dism.
rem. 1770)
(e. 1753)
(e. 1758; dism.
rem. 1770)

e. 1770; eta.

e. 177^- ; eta.

e. 1774- ; dism.
rem. 1777)
(e. 1779; eta.
(e. after 1784;

1799)

(e. 1790; eta.

e. 1796; eta.

e. 1796)

e. 1803; eta.

1745)

1774)

and

and

1782)

1811)

and

1801)
eta.

1796)
1822)

1824)

The records are owned by the church, and held as indicated
below. Not listed below, but helpful are "Extracts from the
Diary of Rev. Jonathan Pierpont , " N3HGR, XIII (1859), 255-
258, and portions of the diary of Rev. Richard Brown in
Lilley Eaton, Genealogical History of the Town of Reading
(Boston, 1874), pp. 53-55.

CR I COPY - "Church Records of the Old Town of Reading,
Massachusetts, and of the First Parish of Reading and South
Reading, from 1648 to 1846." Typescript copy made in 1934,
copies at the public libraries in Wakefield, Reading and
North Reading. 1

CR II - Church Records, 1804-1896. Largely vital statistics
Kept at the church office.

PR I COPY - "Records of the First Parish of Reading, Massa-
chusetts, from April 1722 to December 1812." Typescript
copy made in 1934-, copies at the public libraries in Wake-
field, Reading and. North Reading.

PR II COPY - "Records of the First Parish of Reading, Massa-
chusetts, from February 8, 1813 to January 16, 1844." Type-
script copy made in 1934, copies at the public libraries in
Wakefield, Reading and North Reading.

1. The original record books, CR I, PR I and PR II, report-
edly deposited at a local bank, were not made available" for
this study. The copies appear to be complete.

654-

See the bibliographical entries for READING and NORTH
READING; also Lilley Eaton, "List of Early Settlers of
Reading and South Reading, Mass., from 1640 to 1700," NEHGR,
II (1848), 46-50; Manual of the Congregational Church % ~ V7ake -
field, Mass . January 1, I57l" TBoston. 1871 ) : Charles R.
Bliss, Wakefield Congregational Church . A Commemorative
Sketch . 1644-1877 (.Wakefield, 1877). See two typescript
volumes, compiled 1935 by William E. Eaton et alii , "His-
torical Sketch of Ancient Reddin, Massachusetts, " owned and
held by the public libraries in Wakefield, Reading and North
Reading.

[WALES (C).J

The West Parish in the District of South Brimfield (which
in 1828 became the town of Wales) was incorporated in 1766;
however, no Congregational church was gathered here until
1819.

WALPOLE, First (U), extinct.

The church was gathered on July 2, 1730. The Unitarian con-
troversy saw the orthodox Congregationalists withdrawing
from the church and parish in 1826 to form the Second or
Orthodox Congregational Church and Society. In 1927, these
two churches merged with a local Methodist group to form
The United Church of Walpole.

Ministers: Joseph Belcher

Phillips Payson
George Morey

Ruling elders: none.

(called 1726; dism. 1729;

d. 1773)

ford. 1730; d. 1778)

(called 1783; dism. 1826 from

active ministry but retained

title; do 1829;

635

e.

1730)

e.

1731)

e.

1744- ;

d.

1771)

e.

1747;

m.

1758)

e.

1762)

e.

1774)

Deacons : Samuel Kingsbury
Ebenezer Fales
Ezekiel Bobbins
Joseph Fisher
Joshua Clapp
Benjamin Kingsbury

The church records antedating 1826 were reported lost in
1929; the one extant book of records is owned and held by
The United Church of Walpole.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1730-1826- 2

CR II - "Record." 1826-1892, with vital statistics to 1902.

Miscellaneous records : church records of the orthodox Con-
gregational and Methodist churches of the town.

See also James A. Dupee, "Walpole, Massachusetts. Family
Names in the Assessment Rolls from 1761 to 1778," N£HGR »
XXXVI (1882), 362-366; A Service Commemorating the Ministry

.saac N. Lewis . Addresses on Sir Robert Walpole and Rev .
Phillips Payson , Men Prominent in the Sarl^y History of
Walpole . Mass. (n.p.. 1903); WiTTard DeLue, The Story of
Walpole . 1724 - 1924 (Norwood, 1925); Alton C.IJoberts, type-
script "The Story of Our Church," owned and held by the
Congregational Library, Boston; Alton C. Roberts, Our Church
and Its Ancestors : The United Church of Walpole . Massachu -
setts . 1927 - October" ^ - 1962 IFoxborough, 1962).

1. See Dana W. Robbins 1 typescript "Walpole Historical
Notes," 1929, owned and held by the Walpole Public Library,

2. A fragment concerning the gathering of the church is
contained in "Extract from the Earliest Church Record in
Walpole, Mass.," NBHGR . XX (1866), 12.

636

WALTHAM, First Parish (U/U).

First Church (C), extinct.

The church was gathered on Feb. 4, 1696 in the West Pre-
cinct of Watertown, although the precinct was not formally
incorporated until 1698. In 1738, the precinct became the
town of Waltham, its First Parish was organized, and the
church was renamed Waltham's First Church.
A Second Religious Society, organized in Waltham in 1820,
almost immediately divided into orthodox and Unitarian wings,
The latter body retained the title of Second Religious
Society, while the orthodox styledothemselves the "First
Congregational Church" of Waltham. Lack of support forced
this "First Church" to dissolve in 1840.

Meanwhile, in 1838 a merger was effected between the Second
Religious Society and the First Parish. Until 1866, the
body was called the Independent Congregational Society; then
it voted to take the name of the First Parish in Waltham.
More recently, this First Parish was joined to the First
Universalist Society, the emergent body being styled the
First Parish Universalist-Unitarian. Simultaneously, the
church of the First Parish was joined to the Universalist
Church of Our Saviour.

Ministers: Samuel Angier (inst. 1697; d. 1718/19)
Warham Williams (ord. 1723; d. 1751)
Jacob Cushing, D.D. (ord. 1752; d. 1809)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Deacon Stephen Cookr^ (e. 1697; d. 1714)

1. The date is sometimes given as Nov. 27, 1696. S.g.,
Hamilton A. Hill, History of the Old South Church ( Third
Church ) Boston , 1669 - 1884' ^Boston, 1890), I, p. 408;
Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on the Custody and Condition
of the Public Records of Parishes, Towns and Counties,"
Public Documents of Massachusetts . . . for the Year 1897 %
II (Boston, 1898), p. 185-

2. The 1696 church, of course, simply styled itself the
Church of the First Parish.

3. Cooke was a deacon at nendon before transferring his
membership to Watertown 's First Church in 1689- There is
no evidence of his having served as a Watertown deacon,
prior to his joining the church at Waltham.

637

Capt. John Warren
3ns. John Horse
Jonathan Sanderson
Benjamin Pierce
Joseph Mixer
Thomas Livermore
Jonathan Sanderson
William 3rovm
Thomas Hammond, Jr.
Jonathan Sanderson

Capt, Samuel Livermore, Esq.
Isaac Stearns

Elijah Livermore
Amos Brown
John Sanderson
John Clark

e. 1697; d. 1703
e. 1697; d. 1702
e. 1703; d. 1735
e. 1703; d. ca. 1718)
e. 1718; d. T?23)
e. 1718; res. 1756)
e. 1724; d. 174-3)
;m. 1725; d. 1756)
m. 174-1-1743)

Cm. 174-5; res. 1778;

d. 1790)

(e. 174-3-174A; d. 1773)

(e. 1756; res. 1778;

d. 1779)

e. 1773; rem. 1780)

e. 1778; d. 1812)

e. 1778; d. 1819)

e. 1780; d. 1799)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CH I - Church Records, 1697-1718.

CR II - Church Records, 1723-1751. Largely vital statistics

VS I MAR - Marriage Records, 1723-1751.

CR III - Church Records, 1752-1809-

VS II MAR - Marriage Records, 1752-1809-

CR IV - "Waltham Church Records." 1809-184-1.

CR V - "Church Records, First Parish, Waltham." 184-1-1920.

CR V DUP - Church Records, 1838-1902.

PR I - "Parish Records." 1821-184-0.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Sacramental Expense Ac-
counts, 174-3-1818, 1820-184-1; Parish Committee Records, 1865'
1885, 1886-1902; Pew Deeds, 1839-1861.

Records of the Universalist Society and the Church of Our
Saviour are held by the City Clerk, Waltham.

See also several typescript items owned and held by the
First Parish Universalist-Unitarian: Sdmund L. Sanderson

638

and Elizabeth D. Castner, "The First Parish in Waltham: An
Anniversary History"; "The Deacons of the Waltham First
Parish Church, 1696-1840"; "The Meeting-house of the First
Parish in Waltham and its Predecessors."

WARD, Church and First Religious Society (see Auburn).

WARS, First (C).

The church was gathered on May 9, 1751, and was originally
known as the church in Ware River. The parish, organized
in 174-2, was dissolved at the time of the church's incorpo-
ration in 1895-

Ministers:

Grindall Rawson
2zra Thayer
Benjamin Judd

Reuben Morse

ord. 1751; cLism. 1754; d. 1794- )

ord. 1759; d. 1775)

ord. 1785; dism. 1787;
d. ca. 1835)
(ord. 1792; d. 1809)

Ruling elders:
Deacons :

none

Jacob Cummings
John Davis
Maverick Smith
Thomas Jenkins

William Paige

Daniel Gould

e. 1751; res. 1768: d. 1776)

e. 1751; res. 1768)

e. 1768; d. 1789)
(e. 1768; accepted 1771; res. 1789
d. 1792)

(e. 1789; accepted 1790; res. 1815
d. 1826)

(e. 1789; accepted 1790; res. 1815
d. 1854.)

The church building and parsonage are located in Old Ware;
the records are reportedly kept there, but the only person
having access is the pastor emeritus who visits the town

639

briefly once each year. The item listed below is owned and
held by the Young Men's Library Association, Ware.

CR I COPY - "Records of the First Congregational Church
1751 Ware, Mass." 1751-1825. Typescript copy, made in
1909 by Roland Sawyer, of the church's run ni ng records;
vital statistics omitted.

See also David N. Coburn, An Historical Discourse , Delivered
at Ware, 1851 (West RrookfTeld t 1851): Historical Sketch,
(T o"nfgIs'ion~ ~oT Faith , Covenant and Rules , of the First Con-
rreg; ational~ghurch in Ware , with A Catalogue of Its hembers
(Vare, 1669; rep. and updatedWare, 1909); Augustus B. Reed,
H istorical Sermon Delivered at Ware First Parish , on Thanks-
ivimr Dav T Dec. 2d. 1830 ("rep, n.p., 1889.); Arthur D. Chase,

is tory of Ware , Massachusetts (Cambridge, 1911); Roland D.
Sawyer An Historical Sermon preached in The First Church
in Ware, "Mass. on August 5, 1951 IWare, 1951)-

WAREHAM, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 25, 1759. Church and town
came to a parting of the doctrinal ways in 1827, the heart
of the quarrel being the orthodox minister's refusal to ex-
change pulpits with Unitarian clerics.

To protect the minister from dismissal by the town, the
orthodox (comprising a majority of the church membership)
organized an Evangelical Society. The Unitarians in rebuttal
structured the First Parish.

With the dismissal of the minister in 1828, the two pruden-
tial bodies found less to divide them, and were eventually
reunited, continuing as a single entity until dissolution
in 1890, the year of the church's incorporation.

Ministers :

Rowland Thacher
Josiah Cotton
Noble Everett

ord. 1759; d. 1775) , o .
ord. 1775; dism. 1779; d. 1819)
ord. 1782; d. 1819)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons :

Ebenezer Hamlin
Joshua Gibbs

(e. 1759; eta. 1?42)
(e. 1759; eta. 1765)

64-0

John Ellis
Jonathan Hunter
William Blackmer
Ebenezer Bourne
John Norris
Noah Fearing
Andrew Mackie
Timothy Crocker

(e. 1742;

(e. 1742:

(e. 1748)

e. 1761;

e. 1765}

e. 1782)

e. 17840

e. 1798)

eta.
eta.

1749)
174-9)

eta. 1763)
eta. 1779)

There are no church records antedating 1800; the extant rec-
ords are owned by the church and deposited with a local bank

CR I - KISSING, Church Records, 1739-1800.

CR II & CR III - Bound as one volume: (a) "This Book of
church records begins with the year 1800." 1800-1819.
(b) "#2 Property of the Wareham Congregational Church
1772-184-3 1932. " 1820-1844.

CR IV - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Church Records 1844-.")
1844-1891.

CR V - "Records." (Flyleaf: "Records of the First Congre-
gational Church Wareham, Mass*") 1892-1928.

PR I - "Letters." (Flyleaf:
in Wareham.") 1828-1890.

Records of the first Parish

See also "Topography and History of Wareham, 1815," MHSC .
2nd Ser., IV (1816, rep. 1846), 285-296; Confession oT Taith
and Covenant of the First Congregational Church of Wareham »
Hass . (.Boston, l5^8); David L. Bodfish led.). History of~he
First Congregational Church , Wareham, Massachusetts, aEK
Auxiliary Bodies T739 - 1939 (n.p., 193*DT"

WARE RIVER, Church (see Ware).

641

WARRSN, Federated (C).

The church was gathered in 1743 as the Church in Western.
Its Congregational Society was organized in 1824.
Western became the town of Warren in 1834, and the church
and society were appropriately renamed. In 1927, the First
Church federated with local Methodist and Universalist
churches.

Ministers: Isaac Jones (ord. 1744/45; d. 1784)

Stephen Baxter (ord. 1791; dism. 1804; d. 1846)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of early records, the list is
incomplete.

Isaac Bliss
Thomas Rich
Lt. Abner Tyler
James Brown
David Burroughs
William Brown

m. 1791-1798)

m. 1791)

e. 1791; res. 1798; m. 1810)

e. 1798; m. 1806)

v e. 1798; m. 1808)

(m. 1806)

The church records antedating 1791 were reported lost in
1878 ;* the extant records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1743-1791.

CR II - "Church Records, from March 9th 1791 to May 6th
1836."

CR III - "Church Record." "Second Book Church Records,
mencing Nov. 23, 1836. Ending Jun. 10, 1866."

Com-

CR IV - Church Records, 1867-1926.

VS I - Vital Statistics, 1791-1907-

SR I - "Western Congregational Society Records." 1824-1847.

SR II - "Congregational Society, Warren." 1847-1899-

1. See Declaration of Faith . Covenant and By-Laws of the
Congregational Church in Warren , Kas"s 7, with an Historical
Sketch and a Catalogue of the I-iembers , from l79l to 1878
(Warren, 1878).

642

Miscellaneous records :

Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1880-
1898; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1884-1889; Society Pru-
dential Committee Records, 1891-1920.

WARWICK, First Parish and Religious Society (U).

The church was gathered on Dec. 3, 1760. The Trustees of
the Congregational Society were incorporated in 1779; how-
ever, in 1795 "the act of incorporation was repealed, and
then one section of the repealing act itself repealed in
1800. The Society appears to have suspended operations from
1795 to 1854.

In 1906, church and society were incorporated as the First
Parish and Religious Society of Warwick.

Ministers: Lemuel Hedge (ord. 1760; d. 1777)
Samuel Reed (ord. 1779; d. 1812)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of early records, the list is

incomplete.

Charles Woods'
Silas Town 1
James Ball
Caleb Mayo

(m. 1778-1802)
Cm. 1787-1829)

There are no extant church records antedating the present
century, except for one church treasurer's book.

SR I - "A Eook of Records for the Congregational Society in
Warwick - Given by Nathan Capron of Richmond - 1772." 1778-

1/ yj'

643

SR II - MISSING, Society Records, 1795-18 34. X

SR III - Society Records, 1834-1870.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1784-
1854; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1834-1883, 1893-1909;
Society Certificate Book, 1827-1834; Pew Proprietors Records,
1837-1846.

See also Jonathan Blake, History of the Town of Warwick ,
Massachusetts , From its First Settlement to lS^4 (Boston,
1873;.

WASHINGTON (C), extinct.

The church was gathered in 1772 in the area then known as
Hartwood, which five years later became the town of Washing-
ton. The Congregational Society appears to have been organ-
ized about 1846.

In 1863, the members of this church united with the other
Protestants of the town to form the Union Church of
Washington.

Minister: William Gay Ballantine (ord. 1774; d. 1820)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Jesse Ladd, 3r. fe. 1783; res. 1788)

Jabez Cornish (e. 1783)

Thomas Martin (e. 1799; m. 1804)

Jasper Brewster (e. after 1796; m. 1803)

The records are owned by the town, and held by the Town
Clerk, unless otherwise noted.

CR I - "Record - Congregational Church to 1869." 1772-1863;
records of the Union Church, 1863-1869.

1. Either no records were kept during this period, or else
they have long since disappeared.

644

CR I COPY - Hollin H. Cooke, "Washington, Mass." Copy made
in 1898-1902, owned and held by the Berkshire Athenaeum
(Cooke Collection), Pittsfield.

SR I - MISSING, Society Records, 1846-1859.

SR I COPY" - Society Records, 184-6-1859. Included in
CR I COPY, pp. 228-235-

See also Manual of the Union Church in Washington , Mass .
Organised December 237 166 5 (Pitts field, 156 5).

WATERTOWN, First (U).

The church was gathered on July 30, 1630. When the town
was divided into two precincts in 1697, this church was
located in the 3ast Precinct. In 1738, the West Precinct
became the town of Waltham; then the 1630 church took the
title of Church of the First Parish of Watertown.
The Trustees of the Watertown Ministerial Fund were incor-
porated in 1812, the First Parish itself in 1835.

Ministers :

(ord. pastor 1630; d. 1644)

(ord. colleague 1639;

rem. 1651; d. 1685)

(ord. 1647; d. 1685)

(ord. 1686; rem. 1692; d. 1697)

(ord. 1687; d. 1688/89)

(sett. 1690; ord. 1697;

d. 1723)

(ord. 1724; d. 1774

(ord. 1778; d. 1778

(ord. 1780; d. 1818

Ruling elders: 31der Richard Browne (e. 1630; dism. from

office 1652; m. 1656)

George Phillips
John Knowles

John Sherman
John Bailey
Thomas Bailey
Henry Gibbs

Seth Storer
Daniel Adams
Richard R, Eliot

1. A

here

by hi

churc

from

fitne

havin

it."

ruling elder in England, Browne was elected to serve
in the same capacity. He quickly attracted attention
s views on taxation and his stated belief that the
ties of Rome were "true churches." He was dismissed
church office in 1632, ostensibly because of "his un-
ss in regard of his passion and distemper in speech,
g oft been admonished and declared his repentance for

See James K. Hosmer (ed.), Winthrop ' s Journal (New

64-5

Deacons :

Edward Howe ^
Thomas Carter

(m

(e
d.

p
Simon Eire -,

Deacon Simon Stgne^

Thomas Hastings^"

Henry Bright, Jr.

William Bond

Simon Stone

John Stone

Capt. Nathaniel Barsham

165^- ; d. 1644)
1639-164-1; rem. 164-2;
1684- )

(m. 164-7-1650)
(arrived 1635; d. 1665)

d. 1686) 5

m. 1687; d. 1724- )

m. in local politics

1678-1690) 6

(m. in local politics

1674- : d. 1691) b

(m. 1699; d. 1716)

York, 1908), I, pp. 66, 71, 95- If they considered him too
much of a firebrand to hold church office, Watertonians were
only too happy to have Browne represent them at the General
Court, sending him frequently on that errand up through the
year 1656.

1. DEDHAM, First, CR PUB I, 16, 25- The Dedham church dis-
qualified Carter from nomination to the ruling eldership in
1638, on the grounds that he was about to be chosen to that
post by the Watertown church. A letter from the Watertown
church officers to the Dedham church under date of 164-1
identifies Carter as a ruling elder. However, in 164-2 he
became minister of the church at Woburn.

2. See Richard C. Simmons, "Preemanship in Early Massachu-
setts," WM£, 3rd Ser. , XIX (1962), 4-26.

3. See David H. Brown, "Dea. Simon Stone of Watertown.
Mass., and Some of His Descendents, " NEHGR, LI II (1899),
34-5-350.

4-. Whether there were one or two Watertown deacons by this
name is unclear. BOSTON, Third, CR PUB, p. 159, mentions a
Deacon Hastings of Watertown under date of Feb. 16, 1669/70.
The will of a Deacon Thomas Hastings was proved in 1685-
Watertown town records, however, mention a Deacon Thomas
Hastings living there in 1687-

5. "Deacon Bright carrying home chairs, &c. used at Mr.
Baylys [ordination], is hurt by his Cart none seeing, so
that he dyes Oct? 9- Satterday. It seems he was the only
Officer left in that Church." "Diary of Samuel Sewall.
1674-1729," HHSC, 5th Ser., V (1878), 153-

6. These were the sons of the first Deacon Simon Stone.

646

Nathan Fiske
John Coolidge
Joseph Mason
Joseph Coolidge
Samuel Fiske
Capt. John Tainter
Nathaniel Stone
Jedidiah Leathe
Daniel Whitney
Col. Moses Coolidge
Col. Amos Bond

1717; d. 1740/41)

1717; d. 1755)

1726; d. 1755)

1741: d. 1749)
1749)
1761)

1777)
1793-1800)

1793; d. ca. 1802)

1802; d. 1538)

1805; d. 1817)

There are no church records antedating 1686; the extant
records are owned by the church and deposited with a local
bank.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1630-1686.

CR II - "Rev. John Bailey Book, 1668 [ sic] -1818 • " 1686-1818.

CR II PUB - Watertown Historical Society, Watertown Records
Comprising Bast Congregational and Precinct Affairs 1697 to
1737 Also 5ecortH5ook of the Pastors 1686 to l819 (Boston,
190b). Vital statistics and some church votes, together with
precinct records; omitted are the lengthy records of sermons
entered in the original record by the Rev. Mr. John Bailey.

CR III - "Church Book." 1819-1947-

See also Convers Francis, An Historical Sketch of Watertown ,
in Massachusetts , from theTirst Settlement of the j-own to
the Close of Its 3econd " 77entury (Cambridge, 1830); Henry
BondT T^amily Memorials : Genealogies of the Families and
Descendants of the Sarly Settlers of \7atertown . Massachusetts ,
including Waltham and Weston ; to Which is Appended the Sarly
History of the Town TBoston, 1855), 2 vols.; William T.
Harris, ^pitaphsTrom the Old Burying; Ground in Watertown
(Boston, 1869); Charles A.TTelson, Waltham , Past and Present ,
and Its Industries . With An Historical Sketch of Watertown
fronTTts Settlement in 1630 to the Incorporation of Waltham

1. See CR II PUB, "Preface," where it is stated that these
records could not be found in 1906.

64-7

(1892), 237-255; Solon F. Whitney. Historical Sketches of
Watertown . Mass , (Watertown, 1893); Henry W.~Foote,
Mr, George Phillips , First Minister of Watertown (Boston,
1^30 ) ; Henry D. Locke, An Ancient Parish ! A n Historical
SiiTnmary of the First Parish , V/atertown Mass" 3 (Boston,
1930) ; G. Frederick Robinson and Ruth R. Wheeler, Great
Little Watertown: A Tercentenary History (Cambridge, 1930);
Mosetta I. Vaughan, The Meeting Houses of the First Con -
gregational Society of Watertown T" Rassachusetts (n.p. , 194-2)

WATERTOWN, Third (C), extinct.

This church had a clandestine existence for some months
during 1720-1721, before it made public its intention of
ordaining Robert Sturgeon as its minister. 1

At the request of the ancient Watertown church, an ecclesi-
astical council met on Feb, 27, 1722. It advised that
Sturgeon's church had been gathered contrary to that act
of the General Court which earlier had divided Watertown
into eastern (Watertown) and western (Waltham) precincts,
so that to ordain Sturgeon would be out of the question-
When the Third Church refused to accept this advice, a
second council was convened on May 1, 1722, at the behest
of the Watertown First (East) and Second (West) Churches.
This time, the Third Church was pressed so strenuously to
disband, that Sturgeon's dismissal v/as obtained, ending the
church's career for all practical purposes.
Sturgeon, however, did continue to exercise ministerial
functions for some short time thereafter; the V/atertown
First Church records tell of his baptizing a child after
the May 1, 1722 council.^

1. REVERE, CR I, pp. 18ff.

2. Since the church in the West Precinct of Watertown
(later Waltham) was Watertown' s second church, Sturgeon's
church is properly designated as the Third Church.

3. WATERTOWN, CR II, p. 129.

646

Minister: Robert Sturgeon (sett. 1721; dism. by ecclesi

astical council 1722; rem,
1726 ?; d. after 174-3)

There being no extant records of this church, nothing is
known of its lay officers.

See the bibliography for WATSRTOWN, First.

WATERTOWN, East Precinct and Church (see Watertown, First)

WATERTOWN, Farmer's Precinct and Church (see Weston).

WATERTOWN, Second Church (see Waltham).

WATERTOWN, West Precinct and Church (see Waltham; also
see Weston).

649

WAYLAND, First Parish (U).

The ancient church at Sudbury was gathered in August of
164-0, and its associated Precinct on the West Side of the
River was incorporated in 1708. The development of a
second center of population in 1722 led to the organiza-
tion of an East (Second) Parish, and on Feb. 11, 1723 to the
division of the ancient church into two independent bodies:
the West Church (now Sudbury) and the East Church (now Way-
land ) .

The first trace of friendly rivalry for the right to the
1640 date appeared in 1765 » when the West Cnurch voted
itself "the First Church in Sudbury," because the "standing
part of the ancient church had formed a church in the East
Parish." 1 The East Church replied in 1780, denominating
itself the First Church in East Sudbury; when the area be-
came the town of Wayland in 1835* the name of First Church
and Parish of Wayland was adopted.

In 1815, the Trustees of the East Sudbury Ministerial Fund
receivedpincorporation, as did the First Parish of Wayland
in 1836.

Ministers:

Edmund Brown
James Sherman
Israel Loring

William Cooke
Josiah Bridge
Joel Foster

(ord. 1640; d. 1678)

(ord. 1678; dism. 1705; d. 1718)

(ord. 1706; remained with West

[Sudbury] Church 1723; d. 1772)

(ord. 1723; d. 1760)

(ord. 1761; d. 1801)

(inst. 1803; d. 1812)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Edmund Rice
William Brown

Haines

Joseph Noyes
James Haines

(m. 1649)

(m. 1669)

(m. 1705-1706)

(m. 1705-1723)

1. SUDBURY, CR I, p. 217.

2. See Sudbury entry for further discussion of the churches 1
claims to the 1640 date.

3. Sumner C. Powell, Puritan Village: The Formation of a
New finrland Town (New York, 1965), P« 1, refers to one of
We founders of Sudbury, Peter Noyes, as a "church elder,"
but provides no documentation for that claim.

650

Edmund Rice
Matthew Stone
John Clap
John Moore

(m. 1705-1706)

(e. 1718)

(e. 1719; m. 1723)

(m. 1723; eta. 1747)

Robert Cutting (m. 1803-1804)
[Samuel Griffin (m. 1809; d. 1813)]

The pre-1704 records of the ancient church, with the excep-
tion of some vital statistics, have long been lost. Rec-
ords for the years 1704-1723 are owned and held by the
Sudbury church, unless otherwise noted.

The Wayland church has no extant records for the years 1723-
1803, holding only a book of church records for 1803-1888
and a parish record book for 1850-1910.

CR I - "Church Records of Sudbury. 1st Parish. 1704."
Vital statistics, 1640-1873, and church votes, 1?05, 1724-
1873; lacuna, 1834-1866.

VS I COPY A - Church Records, largely vital statistics,
being a MS copy of the earlier entries in CR I.

VS I COPY B - "Church Records of Sudbury 1st Parish 1704."
MS copy of CR I. Owned and held by the New England Historic
Genealogical Society, Boston.

CR II - MISSING, Church Records, 1723-1803.

CR III - Church Records, 1803-1888. Votes chiefly concerned
with ministerial settlements; vital statistics with many
lacunae .

PR I - "Records of The First Parish in Wayland. 1850."
1850-1910.

See also [Israel Loring] , "Memoir of Sudbury," MHSC, 1st Ser. ,
X (1809, rep. 1857), 86-88; "A Topographical Description and
Historical Account of East Sudbury [Wayland] , In the County
of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including
its Ecclesiastical History," MHSC . 2nd Ser., IV (1816, rep.
1846), 60-63; Alfred S. HudsonTThe History of Sudbury .

1. A "Summary History" printed in 1832, a copy of which is
pasted on the inside cover of CR I, states that in that
year, the only surviving church records for the years 1640-
1705 consisted in fragmentary vital statistics.

651

Massachusetts . 1638 - 1889 (Boston, 1889); Alfred V. Cutting,
An Historical Address Delivered in the First Parish Church t
ffayland " Nags . SundayT " Jtme 25, 19TT "( Boston, 1911);
T illiam L. Raymond, The First Parish , Way land . Massachusetts ,
1640-1940 (n.p,, 1940; abstracted and printed in The Way land
Chronicle , XXVIII, iii (Jan. 19, 1940); John C. Power and
Carl Scovel, "The History of the First Parish in Sudbury, "
mimeographed item, copy owned and held by the Sudbury church.

WELLESLET (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 6, 1798 as the Church in
West Needham, the West Precinct in the Town of Needham
having been incorporated in 1778. The Society was organized
in 1864.

In 1881, the precinct became the town of Wellesley, and the
name of the church and society were accordingly changed.
The church itself was incorporated in 1891.

Minister; Thomas Noyes (ord. 1799; dism. 1833; d. 1837)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Joseph Daniel
William Bigelow
Asa Kingsbury

(e. 1799; res. 1805)
(e. 1799; res. 1812)
(e. 1805; res. 1849)

The extant records commence in 1853 » and are owned and held
by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1798-1833.

CR II - "Records of the Church of Christ in the West Parish
in Needham." 1833-1897.

VS I - George K. Clarke, "Baptisms Recorded by the Ministers,
or Clerks, or the Church in the West Precinct of Needham,
1798-1849," DHR, XII (1901), 70-74. 115, 123. Includes
vital statistics other than baptisms.

652

VS II - George K. Clarke, "Baptisms Recorded by Deacon
Augustus Puller, Clerk of the Church in the West Precinct
of Needham, 1849-1861," DHR, XIII (1902), 111-112.

CR III -
1930.

Records: Wellesley Congregational Church." 1897-

3ee also A Manual for the Congregational Church in West
Needham (Boston, 18 T fi)T~$& ward H. Chandler, The KIstory of
the Wellesley Congregational Church (Boston, 1898).

WSLLFLEET (C).

The area, originally known as "Billingsgate," was made the
North Precinct of Eastham in 1723* The church was gathered
in the same year, although the exact date is in dispute.
The Third or North Parish appears to have been organized
about 1735.

In ±763, the precinct was made the town of Vellfleet, and
the name of the church and parish were appropriately altered.

Ministers :

Josiah Oakes
Isaiah Lewis
Levi Whitman

Cord. 1723; rem. 1727; d. 1733)
Cord. 1730; d. 1786)
(ord. colleague 1785; dism. 1808;
d. 1833)

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New Bnp;land (.Lancaster. Mass. , T^6T7"p- 277,
argues for July 29, 1723, the time of the first minister's
ordination. 3noch Pratt, A Comprehensive History , Ecclesi -
astical and Civil , of gastham , Vellfleet and Orleans , County
of Barnstable , Mass . ' From 1644- to 18W ~ (Yarmouth. 18457T
argued nearly a century earlier that the church properly
should be dated Sept. 23, 1730, the day of the second min-
ister's ordination; the same argument was advanced by
Frederick Freeman, The History of Cape Cod (Boston, 1860-

1862), II, p. 661.

It being unlikely that Josiah Oakes would have been
ordained over a non-existent church in 1723, we can only
conclude that Pratt and Freeman mistake a reorganization of
the 1723 church for the gathering of a new church.

653

Deacons:

Elisha Doane

<e.

John Rich

(nu

Hezekiah Doane

Reuben Rich

(m.

Gross

(m.

Jonathan Higgins

(m.

Josiah Rich

(nu

the extant

Ruling elders: none.

1730; m. 1735)
1735; d. 17^7)

1761-1763)
1785-1786)
1808; d. 1821)
1808; d. 1817)

The records antedating 1808 cannot be found;
records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1723-1808.

CR II - "Records of the Congregational Church in Wellfleet."
1808-184-5.

CR III - MISSING, Church Records, 184-5-1879.

CR IV - Church Records, 1879-

See also "A Topographical Description of Wellfleet," MHSC,
1st Ser. f III (1794, pub. 1810) f 117-126; The ArticlesT oT
Faith and Covenant . . « [of] the .First Congregational
Church in Wellfleet (.Yarmouth, "1538; ; Manual of the First
Congregational Church in Wellfleet , Mass . (WeTIf Teet . 1864 ) .

1. Several attempts to locate the early Wellfleet church
records have proved unavailing. Reported extant in 1889
(Carroll D. Wright, Reoort on the Custody and Condition of
the Public Records of Parishes , tfowns , and Counties [Boston,
1889], p. 12), they~"Eave since dropped from view. One local
tradition has it that they have been destroyed; another
theory is reported by Emil Oberholzer, Jr. in Delinquent
Saints (New York, 1956), p. 352: "The Wellfleet records
have come into the possession of a woman who has no title
to them but refuses to permit even the minister to consult
them. "

654

WENDELL (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 30, 1774. The First Con-
gregational Parish was organized in 1821; the Trustees of
the Ministerial Fund received incorporation in 1823.

Minister: Joseph Killburn (ord. 1783; d. 1816)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: James Ross, Jr. (e. 1780; res. and rem. 1790)
Jonathan Osgood Ce. 1781; res. 1808; d. 1812;
Nathan Brewer (e. 1790; res. 1827; d. 1832)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the First Church in Wendell. Vol. I."
1774-1847.

CR II - "Records of the First Church in Wendell Vol. 2."
1847-1910.

Miscellaneous records: Diaconal Charitable Accounts, 1837"
1936; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1822-1838, 1854-1896,
1896-1921; Ministerial Fund Trustees Records, 1823-1946;
Ministerial Fund Treasurers Accounts, 1823-1875.

WENHAM (C).

The church was gathered on Oct. 8, 1644. Eleven years later,
the minister and seven church members removed to Chelmsford,
establishing a new church there, and leaving an undetermined

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New En gland (Lancaster, Mass. , T^36TT"p* 277,
gives the date of Nov. 20, 1774. V. H. Beaman, in Centenni
Celebration of the Congregational Church, Wendell, Mass . ,
Wednesday T" Dec ember 2. 1874 CAmhe'rst. 1875). P. 7« points
out, however, that the council invited to superintend the
church's gathering met at Shutesbury on Nov. 29, 1774, and
that the church covenanted the next day.

al

655

number of church members behind in Wenham.
Evidence points to a reorganization of the Wenham church
on Dec. 10, 1653, but not necessarily to a beginning de
novo . The Congregational Parish and Society in Wenham
was organized in 1833, and dissolved at the time of the
church's incorporation in 1925-

Ministers: John Fiske

Antipas Newman
Joseph Gerrish
Robert Ward
John Warren
Joseph Swain
Adoniram Judson

Rufus Anderson

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Esdras Reade

Edward Kempe

William Geare
James Moult on, Sr.
William Fiske
John Gilbert
James Friend

(ord. 1644; rem. to Chelmsford

1655; d. 1676/77)
(ord. 1663; d. 1672)
(ord. 1674/75; d. 1719/20)
(ord. 1721/22; d. 1732)
(ord. 1733; d. 1749)
(ord. 1750; d. 1792)
(inst. 1792; dism. and rem.
1799; d. 1826)
(inst. 1805; d. 1814)

(e. 1644; res. and rem. 1655;

m. 1661)

(e. 1655; res. and rem. 1655;

m. 1660)

(e. ca. 1660; d. 1672)

(e. 1674; d. ca* 1698)

(e. 1679/80; d. 1728)

(e. ca. 1700; d. 1722)

(e. 1702/03; d. 1718)

1. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass. , 1936), p. 277,
sees two distinct churches at Wenham, the first becoming
extinct ca. 1660, and the second being gathered in 1663.
Some evidence for this is supplied by CR I GERRISH, which
contains what copyist Joseph Gerrish describes as "A coppy
of the written Covenant made & consented to at the gathering
A chh & ordeining the Rev Mr: Antipas Newman their pastor
in Wenham. "

However, Gerrish made his transcription at least twelve
years after the event to which he was not an eye-witness,
and there is no guarantee that he was not mistaken about
the nature of what took place. Indeed, the transcription
may have been made much more than twelve years after the
event, and without benefit of any eye-witness testimony.

656

Ephraim Kimball
John Friend
Daniel Dodge
William Fairfield
Ebenezer Fiske
Jonathan Kembal
Jonathan Kembal, Jr.
Ebenezer Waldron
Samuel Tarbox
John Friend, Jr.
Caleb Kimball
Stephen Dodge
William Dodge

e. 1716;

e. 1718;

e. 1729;

(e. 1731;

Ce. 1739;

(e. 17^2;

Ce. 1758;

Ce. 1758;

Ce. 1760;

Ce. 1777;

Ce. 1777;

(e. 1786;

Ce. 1805;

d. 1732)
d. 1718)
d. 174-0)
d. 1742)
d. 1771)
d. 1758)
res. 1769)
d. 1768)
d. 1784)

d. 1785)
d. 1800)
d. 1816)
d. 1824)

The records are owned by the church and deposited at the
Town Hall, unless otherwise noted.

CR I FISKE - "John Fisk's note-book." Minister's record of
church affairs: Salem, 1637-1640; Wenham, 1644-- 1655;
Chelmsford, 1655-1675. Owned and held by the Essex Insti-
tute, Salem.

CR I FISKE COPT - "Rev. John Fiske' s note-book 1637-1675."
Typescript copy, largely dependent on earlier transcriptions
made by Pulsifer and Greene. Owned and held by the Essex
Institute.

CR I FISKE PULSIFER-POOLE COPY - "Records of the First
Church in Wenham, kept by the Rev. John Fisk, Pastor, 1644-
1655, copied from the original in accordance with a Vote of
the Town, by David Pulsifer; indexed by Wellington Poole."
Copy made in 1882.

CR I - "Records of the Congregational Church, Wenham, Mass.,
1643-1805. Vol. I." Early copy of Fiske records Cl644-
1655); original church records, 1663-1805.

CR I COPY - Copy of CR I, made in 1879 by Wellington Poole.

CR I GERRI3H - "An Account of the Acts & transactions &
votes of the church of Wenham, since I came thither, Joseph
Gerrish." 1674-1718. Owned and held Ifj the New England
Historic Genealogical Society, Boston.

1. Catalogued as "Wenham, Ilass. Church Record Book."

657

VS I GERRI3H PUB - William
gational Church in Wenham,
358, LXII (1908), 34-48. Vital

3. TrasK, "Records of the Congre-
Hass.," NJSiGR , LXI (1907), 550-

statistics front CR I G3RRI3H

from Oct.

CR II - Church Records, 1792-1847.

CR III - "Records of the Church, in Venham . .
1847 to Sept. 1856." 1847-1874.

CR IV - "Wenham Cong. Church Record, 1870-1890."

CR V - Church Records, 1390-1900.

PR I - "A Record of the first Parish and Society in Venham,
Vol. I." 1855-1879-

PR II - "Records of the First (Congregational) Parish and
Society in Wenham, Mass. , Vol. II." 1879-1901.

Miscellaneous records: the Congregational Library, Boston,
owns and holds a MS item entitled "Old Church Records pre-
served. /Lntient Records of the Chh. in Wenham transcribed
from old books," This consists in extracts from 17th cen-
tury town records, 18th century church records, and the
complete vital statistics of the church for 1805-1813.

\-fEmm (see Chelmsford).

WS3T JU-1SS3URY, Church (see Herrimac).

'SST BARNSTA3L2, Church and Parish (see 3arnstable)

658

V/ESTBORO, First Congregational Society (U).

The (Evangelical) Congregational Church (C).

The church was gathered on Oct- 28, 1724; the First Congre-
gational Parish or Society was organized in 1825. In 1834,
the church (dominated by ortnodox Congregationalists) sepa-
rated from the parish, saw to the organization of an
Evangelical Society, and tool: the name "Evangelical Church."
The parish church having lost most or all of its members in
the separation, it was considered dissolved- Worship serv-
ices were held, however, until 1850 when the Unitarians of
the First Congregational Society reconstituted the First
Congregational Church, In 1880, this church and its society
were unified under the name of the First Congregational
(Unitarian) Society. 1

Ministers :

Ebenezer Parkman
John Robinson

(ord. 1724;
(ore. 17&9;
d. 1832)

c. 1782 )
dism. 1807;

Rulinr elders: none.

Deacons: Jonn Fay

Isaac Tomlin
Jonathan Forbush
Josiah llewton
Jonathan Bond
Jonathan Forbush, Jr,
Simon Tainter
Benjamin Wood
James Hawes
Edmund Bri^hara
Daniel Chamberlain

(e. 1727)

(e. 1727;

(e. 1738;

(e. 1738;

(e. 1755;

(e. 1755;

(e. 1757;

(e. 1767;

(e. 17su;

(e. 1790;

(e. 1805;

4. 17^5)

a. 1756)

d. ca. 1755)

res. 1760)

a. i?63)

a. 1767)

res. 1790)
res. 1315)
res. 1804)
res. 1823;

The records are owned by the First Con-regational Society,
and with the two exceptions noted below, are kept in tne
church building.

Not listed below, but worthy of note (and quoted in the
thesis) are the following: Harriette K. Forbes (ed.),

Kben. Farlinan's Boo..:

Diurna or

An

AC-

1737, I7?9 - 17oQ
count of the Remarkable Transactions of 2 very Day (forces-
"lo^S) ; Francis G. V.'alett (ed. J, ^The Diary of Ebenezer

Parte an,

31-253, ^S^ssi.

AA3J: ,

EXXI (1961), 95-277, 561-44-8, LXXII (1962),

1. Both the Congregational and the Unitarian cnurches of
Westboro lay claim to the founding date of 1724-

659

CR I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Westboroush. "
1724-1808. At the Town Hall.

CR II - "Westborough Church Records 1808 to 1835 Rev. Slisha
Rockwood Pastor Records of Baptisms Marriages Deaths."
(Flyleaf: "Church Records, 1808.") 1808-1836. At the Town
Hall.

CR III - "Records of the First Congregational Church in
Westborough, Formed August 11th. A.D. 1850." 1850-1882.

SR I - "Book of Records for the Congregational Society.
Westborough, March 1825." 1825-1881.

SR II - "Records of the First Congregational Society West-
borough, Mass. March 7th 1882 to ." 1882-1918.

Miscellaneous records: Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1826-
1896, 1896-1946; Society Collectors Records, 1874-1895.

Since the (Evangelical) Congregational Church of 1834 lies
outside the scope of this inventory, it needs only to be
remarked that its records from that date to the present are
complete.

WESTBORO, Second Precinct (see Northboro).

WEST BOSTON Church and Society (see Boston, Ninth Church).

1. Because the church was considered dissolved during the
years 1835-1850, there are no church records for this period

2. After the unification of church and society in 1880, the
records of these merged organizations were kept as a single
narrative, i.e., SR II.

660

WEST B0XF0RD (see Boxford, West)

WEST BOYLSTON (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 15 * 1796 as the Church in
the Second Precinct of Boylston, Sterling and Holden, four
years after the precinct itself was set off. In 1808 the
precinct was made the town of West Boylston, and the First
Congregational Parish was organized.

Minister: William Nash (ord. 1797; dism. 1814; d 1829)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Israel Moore

(e. 1796; d. 1807)
(e. x7?6; res. and
(e. 1805; m. 1808)

Josiah Beaman (e. 1796; res. and rem. 1805)
Amariah Sawyer

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records, 1796." 1796-1854.

CR II - "Church Records, Vol. 2." 1834-1869.

CR III - "Church Records." 1870-1916.

PR I - DESTROYED BY FIRE, Parish Records, 1808-1862.

PR II - "Parish Records." 1862-1917. 1

1. The church also owns and holds a parallel volume of
records of the "Religious Society," 1830-1902.

661

WEST BRADFORD, Proprietors of Meeting House (see Haverhill,
Bradford).

VEST BRIDGEWATER, First Congregational-Unitarian Church (U).

Made a town in 1656, Bridgewater originally contained
present-day Bridgewater, East Bridgewater and West Bridge-
water. The oldest church in the area was gathered in what
is now West Bridgewater on Feb. 18, 1664- .

In 1716 the original town was divided into duly incorporated
parts: the North Precinct (containing the church of 1664)
and the South Precinct (modern Bridgewater, where the first
church was gathered in 1718).

A division of the North Precinct in Bridgewater was effected
in 1723: the East Precinct (now East Bridgewater, where a
church was gathered in 1724) and the West Precinct (in which
the 1664 church was located). In 1822, this West Precinct
was made the town of West Bridgewater.

Ministers: James Keith (ord. 1663/64; d. 1719)
Daniel Perkins Cord, 1721; d. 1782
John Reed, D.D. (ord. 1780; d. 1831

Ruling elders and deacons: due to the loss of the church's
records, virtually nothing is known of the lay officers of
this church.

Ruling elder: William Brett (d. 1682)

Deacons: John Willis (contemporary with William

Brett ) x
Nathaniel Brett (d. 1779)

All records, with the three exceptions noted below, are
reported as destroyed by fire many years ago.

1. See PLYMOUTH, CR PUB I & CR PUB II, 108-109-

662

SR I & SR II - MISSING, Society Records to 1862.

SR III - "Book No. 3- Records of the First Congregational
Society in West Bridgewater. from March 18th 1862 to
April 5i 1954- " Owned and held by the church.

See also "A Description of Bridgewater, 1818," MHSC, 2nd
Ser., VII (1826), 137-176; "James Cary His BookT770," MD,
XXXII (1934), 156-162.

WEST BRIDGEWATER, Separatist (C), extinct.

A New Light separation resulted in the gathering of a
Separatist church in this place on Jan. 8, 174-9. Its mem-
bership was absorbed by the Baptist movement in the town,
following the removal of the Separatist pastor in 1751.

Minister: Samuel Hyde (ord. 174-9; rem. 1751; d. ca. 1770)

See Mary L. and Winifred L. Holman, "Reverend Samuel Hide
and Some of his Descendents, " NEHGR , XCVI (1°A2), 214-231;
Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New England (Lancaster, Mass., 1936), p. 277;
C. C. Goen, Revivalism and Seoaratism in New England , 174-0 -
1800 (New Haven and London, 1^62), p. 312.

WEST BROOKFIELD (C).

The facts concerning the origins of the present Brookfield
and West Brookfield churches have been sufficiently

1. Claimed as town property by a former town clerk, since
deceased, who reportedly deposited them in a basement vault
in the West Bridgewater Town Hall. The present town clerk
states that the vault and its contents are inaccessible.

663

misrepresented to warrant detailed treatment here.
Old Brookfield was incorporated as a town in 1673, and its
church was gathered in 1717, the latter event being delayed
that long by recurrent troubles with the Indians.^ In 1750,
a Second (or North) Precinct was set off, and a (second)
church gathered there in 1752. (In 1812, this Second Pre-
cinct would be incorporated as the town of North Brookfield;
the 1752 church is so listed in this inventory.)
Meanwhile, troubles arose in the First (or old) Precinct of
Brookfield over tne location of the meetinghouse. The old
meetinghouse had been situated at Foster's Hill in the west-
ern part of the old precinct (viz., in what today is the town
of West Brookfield). In 1753, personnel from the southern
part of the old precinct began razing the old building with
an eye to replacing it with a new edifice on Brookfield
Common ( viz . , in what today is the town of Brookfield), The
Foster' s"~HIll group appealed to the General Court, and that
august body intervened.

By order of the Court (Nov. 8, 175*0, the old (or First) pre-
cinct was divided into two parts. The new (western) precinct
was to retain the name and powers of the First Precinct of
Brookfield, - although when incorporated as a town in 1848,
it was given the town name, "West Brookfield!" It is with
this latter town and its church (gathered in 1717) that we
now have to do. 3

Ministers:

Thoma9 Cheney
Elisha Harding

Joseph Parsons, Jr
Ephraim Ward

ford. 1717; d. 1747)

(ord. 17^9; dism. to the new

church in modern Brookfield

1755; d. 1784)

(ord. 1757; d. 1771)

(ord. 1771 ; d. 1818)

1. The culprit appears to have been the Rev. Thomas Noyes,
minister (1799-1833) of Needham's Second Church (now Wellesley's
First Church), whose notions have misled historians ever since
the appearance of his article in £2, X (1837-38), 48, 53-54.
See Charles B. Tolman, An Historical Sermon Delivered in The
First Church of Christ "Tof the Old Town of Brookfield ) at West
Brookfield, Mass l Sunday , 5eptemo'er~ ~I5, ~l910 (Ware, Mass. ,

rgiry:

2. Mention should be made of a local tradition of a "church"
(actually a meetingnouse) at Foster's Hill, ca. 1667-1715,
served by occasional preachers John Younglove, Joseph Smith,
George Phillips, William Grosvenor, John James, and David Elmer.
See Henry E. Waite, "Early History of Brookfield, Mass.," NEHGR,
XXXV (1881), 333-341.

3. The aew (southern) precinct created in 175^ was denominated
the Third Precinct; when the Second Precinct achieved townhood
in 1812, the Third became the Second Precinct. To complete the
confusion, when the First Precinct was incorporated in 1848 as
the town of West Brookfield, the Second Precinct inherited the
ancient, uncluttered name of "Brookfield," - although the church
there had not been gathered until 1756.

664

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Henry Gilbert
John Gilbert
Joseph Jennings
Comfort Barnes
John Cutler

(e. ca. 1717; d. 1740)
(e. ca

1717; res. 1767; d. 1779)
e. T721: d. 1779 ?)
d. 1743)
(res. and rem, 1752; m. 1754)
Jedidiah Foster (e. 1759; res. 1776; d. 1779)
Thaddeus Cutler (e. 1763; res. 1767; d. 1768)

Othniel Gilbert
Thomas Rich

Joseph Cutler
Levi Gilbert

(e. 1767; res. 1788; d. 1795)
(e. 1767; res. and rem. 1773;
d. 1803)

(e. 1776; res. 1309; d. 1825)
(e. 1788; d. 1816)

There are no church records antedating 1758 ;"*" the extant
records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1717-1758.

CR II - "Church Records." 1758-1818.

CR III - "Church Records. First Church in Brookfield.
1818." 1819-1867.

CR IV - "Records." 1867-1889-

CR V - "West Brookfield Congregational Church. Records,
1890-1956."

PR I - "Parish Records Begun in 1754 and i&ided in 1826."

PR II - "Brookfield West Parish Records, 1826." 1826-1860.

PR III - Parish Records, 1860-1909-

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1867-
1904; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1817-1875.

1. The lack of church records for the first two pastorates
was early remarked by Nathan Fiske, "An Historical Account
of the Settlement of [Vest] Brookfield," KH3C, 1st Ser. , I
(1792, pub. 1806), 257-275-

665

WEST CAMBRIDGE, West Church and Parish (see Arlington)

VEST DEDHAM, Church (see Westwood).

WESTERN, First Church and Society (see Warren).

WSSTFIELD, First (C).

The church was gathered on Aug. 27, 1679 in the town of
Westfield (before 1669 known as "Streamfield. " ) The Trus-
tees of the Ministerial Fund were twice incorporated, in
1816 and again in 1822. The First Congregational Society,
organized in 1829, ceased to function after the incorpora-
tion of the church in 1944.

Ministers:

Edward Taylor
Nehemiah Bull
John Ballantine
Noah At water
Isaac Khapp

(ord. 1679; d. 1729)

Cord. 1726; d. 1740)

(ord. 1741; d. 1776)

(ord. 1781; d. 1802)

(ord. 1803; d. 1847)

Ruling elders: none

Deacons : Samuel Loomi
Jo si ah Dewey

Nathaniel Weller(e. 1692;

Samuel Root (e, 1703;

David Dewey Ce. 1712;

Thomas Noble (e. 1712;

(e. ca. 1679; d. 1689)
(e. T592; res. 1703)
d. 1712)
d. 1712)
d. 1712)
d. 1750)

David Ashley (e. 1713; res. 1730; d. 1744)

666

John Shepard I
Sldad Taylor
James Dewey

Israel Ashley

John Shepard II

Joseph Root

Dr. Paul Whitney

John Ball ant ine

Joseph Dewey

Col. William Shepard

Joseph Root II

John Ballantine

John Crooks

(e. 1730;
(e. 17^1;
(e. 17*1;
d. 1767)
(e. 17*6;
(e. 1755;
(e. 1769;
(e. 1783;
(e. 1783;
(e. 1785;
(e. 1789;
(e. 1796;
(e. 1796;
(e. 1805;

d. 1756)
d. 1777)
res. and rem. 17*6;

d. 1758)

do 1783)

d. 1789)

d. 1795)

res. 1785)

d. 1799)

res. 1816; d. 1817)

res. 1805)

res. 1818)

d. 1822)

The records are owned by the church and, unless otherwise
noted, kept in the church building.

Not listed below, but worthy of note are the diaries of
Edward Taylor and John Ballantine, extensively cited in John
Lockwood's West field and Its Historic Influences , 1669 - 1919
(Westfield, 1922), 2 vols. Ballantine' s diary for the years
1759-177* was printed in the Westfield Journal for 183*.
See also "Rev. Noah Atwater's Almanac (1782-1788)," Bart-
lett's Note Book . No. 2, 35-6*, No. 3, rear 1-1*.

CR I - "The Publick Records of the Church, Westfield, Massa-
chusetts. 1679-1836." Held by the Westfield Athenaeum,
Westfield.

CR I COPY - Church Records, 1679-1836. Held by the West-
field Athenaeum.

CR II - HISSING, Church Records, 1836-1867.

CR III - Church Records, 1867-1935-

3R I - "Records of the First Congregational Society, West-
field, Mass., 1829-1838-1883." 1829-1883-

oR II - "Records: First Congregational Society, Westfield."
188*-1950.

Miscellaneous records: Register of Church Membership, 1679-
1961, recently comoiled; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1829-
1893, 1893-1909.

667

WESTFIELD, Separate (C), extinct.

This New Light church was gathered in Westfield some time
in 174S I and six years later, Jedidiah Dewey was ordained
its minister.

Meanwhile, Separates from Hardwick and Sunderland migrated
to Bennington, Vermont, and on Dec. 3, 1762 organized the
first Congregational church in that state. Soon afterward,
the Bennington church issued an invitation to the Westfield
New Lights to come to Vermont and join forces with them.
Talcing the advice of a New Light ecclesiastical council
which met on Aug. 14, 1763, Dewey and his church members
removed to Bennington, where Dewey became the pastor of the
new church.

Minister:

Jedidiah Dewey (sett. 1748; ord. 1754; rem. with

the church to Bennington, Vt.
1763; d. 1778)

There being no records of the Westfield Separate Congrega-
tional Church, nothing is known of its lay personnel. See
Isaac Jennings, Memorials of a Century . Embracing a Record
of Individuals and Events chiefly in the Sarly History oT~
^enninprton , Vt. and ItsTirst Church (Boston, 1869;
Frederick L.^eis, The Colonial Clergy and The Colonial
Churches of New ihi^land (Lancaster, Mass., 1936) » pp. 240,
277 ; C . G . Goen t ~ 5evivalism and Separatism in New England ,
1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London, 1962), px>. 105^~318.

WESTFORD, First Parish Church United (U).

The church was gathered on Nov. 15, 1727 as the West Church
in Chelmsford, the West Precinct having been set off in
1724. In 1729j the precinct became the town of Westford.
The parish was organized in 1826.

Ministers: Willard Hall

(ord. 1727; dism. 1775 [by the
town] and 1776 [by the church]
for Toryism; d. 1779)

668

Jesse Read (sett. 1776; rem. 1778)
Matthew Scribner (ord. 1779; dism. 1789;

d. 1813)

Cord. 1792; dism. 1826;

d. 184-7)

Caleb Blake

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons; John Comings

Joshua Fletcher
Paul Fletcher
Andrew Spaulden
Henry Wright
John Abbot

Jonathan Fletcher, Jr.
William Hildreth
Samuel Fletcher
John Prescott

(e. 1727; d. 1759)

Ce. 1727; d. 1736)

(e. 1733; d. ca. 1736)

(e. 1736)

(e. 1736)

(e. 1762; d. 1791)

(e. 1772; res. ca. 1782)

(e. 1780)

Ce.

1782)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited as
indicated below.

CR I - "The Church Book Belonging to the Second Church in
Chelmsford, 1?27." 1727-1866. Held by the Westford Public
Library.

CR I COPY - Typescript copy, Church Records, 1727-1866, with
supplementary materials. Held by the Westford Public
Library.

PR I - Parish Records, 1826-1889. Held by the church.
PR II - Parish Records, 1890-1955. Held by the church.

WEST GLOUCESTER, Church (see Gloucester, Second).

1. See Edwin R. Hodgman, History of the Town of Westford
(Lowell, 1883), P. 269.

669

WEST GRANVILLE, Church and Parish (see Granville, West,
Center).

WEST GRANVILLE, Church and Parish (Third) (see Tolland)

WESTHAMPTON (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 1, 1779-

Minister: Enoch Hale (ord. 1779; do 1837)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Reuben Wright (e. 1779; d. 1798)
Martin Clark (e. 1779; d. 1823)
Samuel Edwards (e. 1786; d. 1842)

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Westhanroton Church Records, commenced AD 1817 but

extending back to the formation of the Church AD 1779.

Book No 1." Church records in abstract, 1779-1818; in full,

1818-1831. 1

CR II - "Book No. 2." 1854-1873.

CR III - "Westhampton Church Records." (Flyleaf: "Book
No. 3, 1779 [sic]"- 1899. A record of the Congl Church in
Westhampton continued from Book No. 2." 1874—1899-

1. The original church records, 1779-1816, were destroyed
in a parsonage fire in the latter year. See Dorus Clarke,
^he Centennial Discourse Delivered in 'westhampton , Mass.,
5er;tT ~5d, 1879 , on the ~5ne Hundredth Anniversary of the
Formation of the Church in that Town (Boston, 18797.

670

WEST MEDVAY (see Med way, Second, Federated, West)

WESTMINSTER (C).

The church was gathered on Oct, 20, 174-2 as the Church in
Narragansett No, 2. In 1759, this tract became the town of
Westminster, and the church's name was accordingly changed.

Ministers: Elisha Harsh

Asaph Rice

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Joseph Holden
Joseph Miller
James walker

Nathan Wood

Moses Thurston

Thomas Stearns
Stephen Miles

(ord. 174-2; dism. and rem. 1757;
d. 1784)

(ord. 1765; d. 1316)

(e. 1742; d. 1768)

(e. 1742; d. 1794)

(e. between 1751 and 1765

d. 1812)

(e. between 1756 and 1765

d. 1777)

(e. between 1765 and 1800

d. 1809)

(e. 1768; d. 1785)

(e. 1797; d. 1812)

There are no church records antedating 1813; the extant
records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1742-1813. 1

CR II - "Records of the first Congregational Church in
Westminster." 1813-1938.

See also The Confession of Faith , and Covenant of the Con -
f^re Rational Church in Westminster , with a Catalogue of

1. The records of the first two pastorates are supposed to
have been accidentally sold for scrap paper ca. 1860. See
Doris M. Femno, typescript "History of the First Congrega-
tional Church of Westminster, Massachusetts," 1953, owned
and held by the church.

671

Members , June , 1839 (Worcester, 1839); Manual of the Con -
gregational Church , Westminster , Mass . Adopted , 1868
(Winchendon , 1868 ) ; A. Judson Rich, Hi

Historical Discourse
Delivered on Occasion of the One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth

-h, and the Fiftie th
stminster, Mass. .

Anniversary of the Congregational Church , a

Anniversary of the Sunday bchool , in Westminster, nass.,

September"?, 18g§~ ( Springfield, 1855); V/illiam S. Hey wood ,

history of Westminster , Massachusetts (Lowell, 1893)-

"./EST NEiiDHAM, Church (see Wellesley).

W3ST NEWBURY, First (C), inactive.

The church was gathered on Oct, 26, 1698 as the Second
Church in Newbury, the Second Parish having been organized
in 1695. In 1711 the Second Precinct in Newbury was in-
corporated, and in 1820 became the town of Vest Newbury.
The church thus became the First Church in West Newbury;
the First Parish Was incorporated in 1824. The parish was
dissolved in 1909 at the incorporation of the church. In
1795, just prior to settling Samuel Tomb as minister, the
church voted to become Presbyterian, and was taken under
the jurisdiction of the Londonderry Presbytery. In 1807,
it voted to return to Congregationalism.

For further details regarding the churches of the Newbury-
Newburyport-West Newbury area, see N^W3URY, First.

Ministers: Samuel 3elcher

John 'Tufts
Thomas 3arnard

Moses Hale

(ord. 1698; eta. 1711-1714;

d. 171 4/15)

(ord. 1714; dism. 1738; d. 1752)

(ord. 1758/39; dism. 1752;

d. 1776)

(ord. 175V52; d. 1779)

672

True Kimball
Samuel Tomb

Huling elders: none.

Deacons: Abraham Merrill

3enjamin Horse
Joshua Brown

Caleb Moody
Archelaus Woodman
William Morse
Thomas Chase
Tristam Coffin
John Worth
Capt. Joseph iloulton
Nathaniel Ordway
James Brown
Edmund Bailey
Abner Bailey
Thomas Huse
Joseph Sawyer

(ord. 1782; dism. 1797; d. 1816)
(inst. 1798; dism. 1805; d. 1832)

(e. 1699; withdrew 1713 to

attend Episcopal church;

dism. to Amesbury Second

Church )

(e. 1699; m. 1714)

(e. 1699; withdrew 1713 to

attend Episcopal church)

1716;

1716;

1716;

1726;

1731;
(e. 1731;
(e. 1741:
(e. 1743)
<e. 1751;
U. 1756)
(e. 1784;
(e. 1784;
(e. 1784;

m. 1739)
a. 1745)
eta. ca.
eta. ca.
m. 1755)
1748)
1754)

1739)
1739)

d.

m.

m. 1782)

d. 1821)
re s . and
d. 1818)

rem. 1811 )

The records are owned oy the church, and deposited at a
Newburyport bank, unless otherwise noted.

OR I - "Early record of the First Church of West Newbury."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the First Church in West Newbury,
formerly the Second Church in "Old Newbury," from its organ-
ization, Oct. 26, 1698.") 1698-1756, 1779, 1797, 1808-1902

VS - "Newbury Church Records," £IHC, LVIII (1922), 20-22.
Admissions and dismissions, 1715-1762.

PR I - "Parish Records." 1858-1909.

Miscellaneous records (all owned and held by the Essex In-
stitute, Salem): Parish Collector's Rate Book, 1772-1811;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1771-1845, 1806-1844.

See the H3 "Historical Sketch of the I

First

Church & Parish

of West Newbury, formerly The Second Church of Newbury,"
owned and held
appears in the
the Ecclesiastical
PP. 575-381.

by the Essex Institute. An abridged version
Jssex North Association's Contributions to
History of Essex County C Boston \ 1865T,

675

WEST NEWBURY, Second (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 1, 1731 as the Fourth
Church in Newbury, the Fourth Parish being organized in the
same year. It became the Third Church and Parish in Newbury
in 1764- v/ith the setting off of Newburyport as an independent
town.-*- In anticipation of the area containing the 1731
church and parish becoming a town, in 1819 these bodies were
retitled the West Church and Parish in Parsons. However,
the town (set off in 1820) received the name "Vest Newbury,"
and the church and parish therefore took the titles of the
Second (West) Church and Second Parish in West Newbury. The
parish was dissolved at the incorporation of the church in

1941.

Ministers: William Johnson, J]
David Tappan, D.D.'

Leonard Woods, D.D.

(ord. 1731; d. 1772)
(ord. 177^- ; dism. to Hollis
Professorship of Divinity,
Harvard 1792; d. 1803)
(ord. 1798; dism. to pro-
fessorship of divinity,
Andover Seminary 1808 ;
d. 185*0

Ruling elders: none

Deacons

William Horse
Thomas Chase
John Noyes
Stephen Horse
John Merrill
Joshua 3ailey
Roger Merriam
Samuel Tenney
John Osgood

m. 1731-174-5)

m. 1731-1745)

(m. 174S-1753)

(m. 1752)

(m. 1761-1773)

(m. 1771-1774)

(m. 1773)

(m. 1782-1804)

(m. 1798)

There are no church records antedating 1832; the extant
records are owned and held by the church, unless otherwise
noted.

CR I - "Church Record
1832." 1832-1899.

West Newbury Mass. Second Parish

1. Included in the new town of Newburyport was the Third
Church of Newbury, now become the First in Newburyport.

2. About 1780, this minister changed the spelling of his
last name from "Toppan" to "Tappan."

674

P3 I - "Parish Records, 1751-1319." Owned by the church,
and deposited at the local public library.

PROP I & PR II - Proprietors Records, 1857-1867; Parish
Records, 1367-1941. Owned by the church, and deposited at
the local public library.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors' Rate 3ooks (owned
by the church and deposited at the local public library).
1808, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1825, 1859, 1841 (two
books), 1842, 1845, 1847, 1848, 1849, 1850, 1851, 1852,
1855-1854. 1855, and three undated books; Parish Assessors 1
Accounts (similarly owned and held), 1751-1845, 1845-1857;
Subscription List (similarly owned and held), 1881-1885;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts (owned and held by the Essex

Institute, Salem), 1765-1791; Pew Rental Accounts (Essex
Institute), 1816-1840.

See the Sssex North Association's Contributions to the
Ecclesiastical History of Essex County (Boston. 156577
?p 581-585.

WEST NEWBURY, West Church (see West Newbury, Second)

WEST NEWTON (see Newton, Second, West).

WESTON, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on Nov* 2, 1709 as the Church in
the West (Farmers') Precinct of Watertown. The precinct,

675

which had been set off in 169&, became the town of Weston
in 1715* at which time the church's name was duly changed.

Ministers

Joseph Morse

William Williams

Samuel Woodward
Samuel Kendal, D.D.

(sett. 1701 ; res. 1706;

d. 1732)

(ord. 1709; dism. 1750;

d. 1760)

(ord. 1751 ; d. 1782)

(ord. 1783; d. 1814)

Ruling elders: none.
Deacons :

Capt. Josiah Jones
John Parkhurst
Benjamin Brown

Deacon John Cheney

Ens. John Warren
Nathaniel Allen
Abijah Upham
Thomas Upham
Thomas Russell
Samuel Fiske
Isaac Hobbs

(e. 1710 ; d. 171^)

(e. 1710; res. 1741; d. 1764)

(e. 1715; res. and rem. 1746;

d. 1753)

(adm. to membership 1724;

rem. 1730)

(e. 1733; d. 1745)

(e. 1745; d. 1772)

(e. 1745; d. 1775

e. 1767; d. 1780

e. 1767; d. 1792

e. 1780; d. 1813)

e. 1780; d. 1813)

The records are owned ana neld by the church.

CR I - "Church Records - Weston 1709-1743 . " (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Parish, weston, 1?09 to 1745, With
later notes. ")

CR I COPY - "The 1st Book of Church Records for Weston."
MS copy made by Frank V. Bigelow in 1876.

CR II - "Second Book of Records, First Parish, Weston,
1744-1815." (Flyleaf: "The 2d: Book of Church-Records,
for Vest on, 1744.")

CR II COPY - "The 2nd Book of Church Records for .Veston."
MS copy made by Frank W. Bigelow in 1876.

CR III - "Church Records, 1815." 1815-1849, with vital
statistics to 1859.

In addition to the entries made in the runnin - records of
the church, there is a series of miscellaneous volumes of
vital statistics:

676

VS I - "Record of Marriages and Deaths Kept by Rev. Samuel
Woodward, 1751 to 1781 to 1786."

V3 II - "Doc [tor] Ken[dallj. Death Rec[ords]." 1784-1856.

VS III - Miscellaneous Death Records, 1788-1865.

VS IV - "Deaths - Rev. Dr. Field." 1814-1835.

V3 V - Baptismal Records, 1815-1857-

VS VI - "Births & Baptisms & Bonds Genealog. " 1815-1847.

VS VII - "Record of Marriages by the Rev. Joseph Field.
1815-1864."

VS VIII - "Ordinations." As attended by Weston delegates,
1818-1864.

VS IX - Miscellaneous Death Records, 1852-1865.

CR PUB - Town of '..'eston, Births . Deaths and Marriages , 1707 -
1850 . 1705 - Gravestones -1900. Church RecordsT"i709 - 1825 """^
CBoston, 19017^ Incorporates virtually all of the above-
cited records and vital statistics to 1825. 1

PR I - "Parish Record." 1825-1889.

PR II - "Records: First Parish, Weston." 1890-1924.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Collector's Records, 1834-
1880, 1882-1924; Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1826-1925,
1831, 1872; Parish Membership Statistics, 1879-1953; Records
of the Building of a New Meeting House, 1884-1886.

wSSTON, Second Precinct (see Lincoln).

1. Omitted items are noted in the "Introduction," p. iv:
"The church records during this time and a few later entries
• . o have been printed in full with the exception of cer-
tain cases of public acknowledgment [of sinj and the details
of two cases of church discinline,"

677

WESTON, CONCORD AND LINCOLN, Church in the Precinct set
off from (see Lincoln).

W2ST R0X3URY (see Boston, West Roxbury).

WEST SPRINGFIHLD, First (C).

The church was gathered on June 16, 1698 as the Church in
the Second (West) Precinct in Springfield, the precinct
having been incorporated tv/o years earlier. When the pre-
cinct became the town of West Springfield in 1774, the name
of the church, as well as of its now-parish, was changed.
The Trustees of the Ministerial Fund in the First Parish
received incorporation in 1820.

A dissident group split off from the First Church in 1871,
forming the Park Street Church; however, in 1909, the two
churches merged as one.

Ministers:

John Woodbridge
Samuel Hopkins
Joseph Lathrop, D.D.

(ord. 1698; d. 1718)
(ord. 1720; d. 1755)
(ord. 1756; d. 1820)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : John Barber

Ebenezer Parsons
Joseph Sly-
John Ely
Samuel Day
Joseph Maverick
Nathaniel Atchinson
Jonathan White
Peletiah Bliss
John Bagg

1700; d. 1712)

1700; d. 1752)

1712; d. 1755)

1712; d. 1758)

1748; d. 1773)

1750; d. 1792)

1759; res. 1782; d.

1801)

1759; res. 1782; d.

1805)

1782; d. 1823)

1783; d. 1809)

678

There are no church records antedating 1319; the extant
church records are owned and held by the church. The parish
records, an unusually complete set, are held by the town
clerk of West Springfield.

OR I - HISSING, Church Records, 1698-1819-

VS I - "First Congregational Church of West Springfield or
(sometimes called; First Church of West Springfield."
Membership, 1721-1869.

CR II - "Church Records and Registry, First Congregational
Church, 1819-1852." (Flyleaf: "Records of The First Church
in West Springfield.")

VS II - "Registry, First Congregational Church. Records
Lost 1694-1720. Membership. 1819-1883, Baptisms 1835-1849.
Book 2."

CR III - "Church Records and Registry, First Congregational
Church. Admissions 1855-1391, Dismissions, 1855-1890, In-
fant Baptisms, 1855-1891, Deaths 1857-1891. Book 3."
Running records, 1855-1860.

CR III COPY & CR IV - "Records of The First Congregational
Church, West Springfield, March, 1855." 1855-1892.

CR IV - "Registry and Annual Reports, First Congregational
Church. Memberships, 1892-1913, Annual Reports, 1893-1913.
Book 4." Running records, 1893-1913-

VS III - "Registry, First Congregational Church. Member-
ship 1856-1928, Baptisms 1914-1928, Marriages 1922-1927-
Book 5."

PR I - Parish Records, 1707-1786.

PR II - "Parish Records." 1785-1837-

PR III - "Records of the First Parish in West Springfield,
from March 1837 to April 1894."

Miscellaneous records: the church holds nine volumes of
miscellaneous church and parish reliquiae, collected in
1952. The town clerk holds the following miscellaneous
records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1774-1794, 1794-1850;
Parish Order Books, 1792-1837, 1837-1855, 1850-1833.

679

See also Robert Breck, Past Dispensations of Providence
called to Mind. In a Sermon , Delivered in the first Parish

Church , VJest Springfield , Mass , > and Catalogue of Members
of the Church , September , 1838 (Northampton, 18^8); William B
Hyprague. A Discourse Delivered in The First Congregational
Church in West Springfield , August 26, 1869 t Albany, N.Y. ,
1869^; Eyman~H. Bagg, "Early Settlers of~west Springfield.
Transcribed from the Parish Records of the First Congrega-
tional Church," NEHGR , XXIX (1875), 285-289, XXX (1876),
50-56; The Church Book of the First Congregational Church
in West Springfield , Mass . , and Catalogue of Members
TSpringf ield, 1884; ; leatrice B. Littlef iela". History of the
First Parish and the First Congregational Church of West
Springfield , Massachusetts (n.p. ,1948).

WEST SPRINGFIfiLD, Fourth Parish (see Agawam).

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Ireland Parish, Church (see Holyoke).

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Second Church (see Agawam).

WEST SPRINGFIELD, Third Church and Parish (see Holyoke)

680

WEST STOCKBRIDGE, First (C).

The church was gathered on June 4, 1789, and its Religious
Society was incorporated in 1794. At the present time, it
xs yoked with the Village Congregational Church of West
Stockbridge.- 1 -

Minister: Oliver Ayers (ord. 1793; dism. 1807; d. 1832)
Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Elijah Williams Ce,

Robert Johnson (e.

Amos Fowler (e.

Thomas Reed (e.

1789; dism. 1796)

1789; d. 1817)

1796; dism, 1805)

1805; d. 1820)

The records are much depleted; those extant are owned and
held by the church.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1789-1803.

CR II - "West Stockbridge Center - Church Records - July
1807." Scattered records. 180?. 1807-1816, 1822-1826,
1885-1887.

CR III - "This book of Records belongs to the Congregational
Church in West Stockbridge, January 1st A.D. 1827."
Scattered records, 1827-1872, 1890-1913.

SR I - MISSING, Society Records, 1794-1829.

SR II - Society Records, 1829-1874.

See also Articles of Faith . Covenant , and Catalogue of
Members of the First Congregational Church , in West Stock -
bridge , Mass., October 1, 1849 (Pittsfield, TS^TT;
Florence L. Burke, The History of the Congregational Chur ch
of West Stockbridg;e r~ Mass . (n.p. , 1358).

1. Prior to becoming a town in 1774, the area was known as
Queensborough, a name popularly retained down into the nine-
teenth century.

681

Ministers: John Mayhew

WEST TISBURY (C).

The date of the church's gathering is uncertain, although
the best evidence points to 1675- The Westerly Parish in
the town of Tisbury, in which this church was located, was
set off in 1796, shortly after the erection of a meeting-
house in the eastern part of the town (now Tisbury). The
First Congregational Society was organized in 1878. In
1892 the old Westerly Parish became the town of West Tisbury

(sett. 1673, associated with

six Indian praying towns and

churches; d. 1688/89)^

(ord. 17 W; d. 1723)

(ord. 1727; dism. 1756

d. 1774- )

(sett. 1257; rem. 1757

d. 1805P

(ord. 1760; dism. 1781

d. 1796)

(inst. 1784; dism. 1799;

d. 1803)

(ord. 1801; dism. 1819;

d. 1850)

Josiah Torrey
Nathaniel Hancock

John Rand

George Daman

Asarelah Morse

Nymphas Hatch

Ruling elders and deacons: whether or not the church em-
ployed ruling elders during its early years is not known.
The information on the West Tisbury diaconate is fragmentary

Deacons: Experience Luce (d. 174-7)

Benjamin Manter (b. 1671; d. 1750)
Athearn (m» 1760)

1. The attempt to push the date back to 1651, and to claim
as settled ministers the Rev. Thomas Mayhew, Jr. (d. 1657;
and Gov. Thomas Mayhew (d. 1673) is rightfully ignored by
careful historians like Charles E. Banks, The History of
Martha's Vineyard , Duke's County , Massachusetts , II (Boston,
1911), P.T2+T

2. Rev. Sxoerience Mayhew, whose mission to the Vineyard
Indians extended from 1694 until his death in 1758, is some-
times described as a "teacher" of this church, 1694-1699.
See Banks, loc . cit .

3. Samuel West supplied here from 1757 to 1759, but was
not ordained until his settlement at New Bedford in 1761.

682

Sylvanus Cottle
Jonathan Luce
Stephen Luce
Rowland Luce
Ransford Smith
Cornelius Norton
William Luce
John Gray
Timothy Athearn
Timothy Luce

(b. 1704;

(e. 1761;

(e. 1761;

(e. 1765;

(e. 1767;

(b. 1746;

(b. 1740;

(b. 1760;

(b. 1769;

(b. 1742;

rem. 1760)

d. 1763)
d. 1801)
d. 1767)
d. 1811)
rem. 1794)
d. 1818)
d. 1854)
d. 1828)
do 1835)

The church records antedating 1756 were sequestered by
Rev. Nathaniel Hancock at the time of his dismissal; the
originals from which the following volumes of vital statis-
tics were extracted have disappeared since their bein^
copied in 1903. b

VS I - "Baptisms at Tisbury, 1760-1785. Prom a copy of the
Cnurch Records, made in July 1850, by Richard L. Pease.
ine original records are not now known to be in existence
but the copy has every appearance of being authentic."
Typescript copy made by Charles Banks, contained in "Docu-
ments Relating to Martha's Vineyard," owned and held by the
Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston.

VS II - "Tisbury Church. Admissions and Dismissions of
Members, 1760-1782. Abstracted from a copy of the original
record, made in July 1850 by the late Richard L. Pease.
ine original is not known to be in existence now." Type-
script copy, as above.

Y? - 11 . 1 "." ? ?' om Records of the Congregational Church, Tisbury
inin a ?SJn C H n £ arran Ced and abbreviated. Deaths in Tisbury,
1760-1849." Typescript copy, as above. '

VS IV - "Grave Stone Inscriptions West Tisbury Cemetarv
All rersons Born Before 1800." Typescript copy, as above.

CR - "Records of the First Congregational Church, West Tis-
bury, Mass." 1832-1930. Owned and held by the church.

PR I - ".Parish Record."
church.

1796-1878. Owned and held by the

PR II - Parish Records, 1878-1923. Owned and held by the
cnurch. *

?5® ^r 50 " A Description of Duke's County. August 13th,
1807," IH3C, 2nd 3er., Ill (x315, repub. 13467, 38-94;'
Brinks f op. cit. * '

683

VEST TI33U3Y, Christiantown Indian Church (C), extinct.

This praying town, variously known as Manitouwattootan and
Ohkonkemme, and finally as Ghristiantown, was set apart by

in 1560 « The year of the
ced as early as 1630 and as
aching was supplied by the
the Gospel among the Indians
by the Boston Society. By
inct; the meetinghouse, how-

Josias, the sachem of Takemmy,
church's gathering has been pla
late as 1705 . - 1 Until 1786, pre
Society for the Propagation of
in New England, and thereafter
1850, the church had become ext
ever, still stands.
See the bibliography on Indian
Herring Pond(s) Indian Church.

churches, given under BOURNE,

Ministers: Gov. Thomas Mayhew, 3r

Wunnanauhkomun
John Cotton, Jr.

John Amanhut
John Mayhew

James Sepinnu

2
John ohohkow

Mi can Shohkow

(Vineyard governor;
sett. -Sdgartown 1658,
ministered to seven
Indian praying towns
and churches; d, 1681)
(Indian oreacher, 1660;
d. 1676)

(Indian mission on
Vineyard 1664-1667; ord.
Plymouth First 1669,
also ministered to two
dozen Indian praying
towns and churches;
rem. 1697; d. 1699)
(Indian preacher, 1670;
d. 1672)

(sett. West Tisbury
1673, ministered to six
Indian oraying towns
and churches; d. 1683/39)
(Indian oreacher, 1680;

d. 1685)"

(Indian preacher, 1685;

ruling elder at Oak

Bluffs [Sanchacantacket] ;

d. 1690)

(Indian preacher, 1690)

1. See Frederick L. Weis, "The New England Company of 1649
and its Missionary £nterorises, " CSMP, XX-CVIII (1W-195D,
esp. 191-192.

2. Sometimes called "Assaquanhut

684

Stephen ohohkow

As is the
no reco
been kent.

(Indian preacher, 1690; also
served Chilmark [Seconchimt] :
d. 1715)

(sett. Indian missionary 1694,
ministered to nine Indian pray-
ing towns and churches; d/1758)
(ord. West Tisbury 1704, associ-
ated with four Indian praying
towns and churches; d. 1723)
(ruling elder at Oak Bluffs
[Sanchacantacket] 1713: Indian
preacher here; d. 1717)
(Indian preacher, 1718-1719)
(Indian preacher, 1724; also
active Oak Bluffs [Sanchacan-
tacket] ; d. ca. 1724)
(ord. West Tisbury 172?; associ-
ated with three Indian praying
towns and churches: dism. 1756;
d. 1774)

(ord. Chilmark 1767; associated
with six Indian praying towns
and churches; d. 1806)
(missionary, also active at
iiidEartown [Chapt>aquiddick] :
d. 1836)

he case with all of the Indian churches except Natick,
rds of this church are known to exist or even to have

Sxperience Mayhew

Josiah Torrey

Isaac Ompany"

Jabez Athearn
Hosea Manhut

Nathaniel Hancock

Zachariah Mayhew

Frederic Baylies

W3STW00D, First Parish (U).

The church was gathered on June 4, 1735 as the Second Church
in Dedham; however, its parish, organized the following

1. .Sometimes njiven as "Onmanit.

685

year, was the Third Parish in that town, and was popularly
known as Clapboard Trees Parish.

During the nineteenth century, the area was known as V/est
Dedham, and the church as the V/est Dedham Unitarian Church.
In 1897 West Dedham became the town of Westwood, and the
organization took the title of First Farish. The separation
of the orthodox in 1808-1809 was, so to speak, nullified in
1944- when the orthodox and the Unitarians of V/estwood
federated, taking the name of "First Parish of Westwood,
United Church (Unitarian-Congregational). "

Ministers :

Josiah Dwight (inst. 1735; dism. 174-3; d. 1748)
Andrew Tyler (ord. 174-3; dism. 1772; d. 1775)
Thomas Thacher (ord. 1780; d. 1812)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: due to the lack of early church records, knowledge
of the Westwood diaconate is fragmentary.

Jonathan Onion
Joseph Ellis
Ichabod Gay
Ichabod Ellis

(e. 1735; d. 1758)

(e. 1735; d. 1783)

(m. 1774- ; d. 1814)

(m. 1799; d. 1811)

There are no extant church records antedating 1879; the
parish records, owned by the First Parish United Church,
are held by the Dedham Historical Society, Dedham.

1. The Second Parish, organized in 1730* had no church
until 1736. See Norwood.

2. "All the records of this Church prior to ltJ79 have been
destroyed by fire .... The records of the Church of the
Third Parish in Dedham were formerly contained in two books.
One . . . contained the records of Rev. Andrew Tyler and
Rev. Thomas Thacher, and possibly their predecessor, Rev.
Josiah Dwight. The second book • . . contained the neatly
kept records of Rev. John White, and those of his successors
until the year 1879 .... The destruction of tnese books
when the Nahatan House was burned, Kay 26, 1879* leaves a
gap in the history of the town which it is impossiole to
fill satisfactorily . . . ." Don G. Hill, The Record of
Baptisms , Marriages and Deaths and Admissions to the Church
and Dismissals Therefrom , Transcribed from the Church Rec-
ords in the Town of Dedham , Kassachusett s. 1634 - 1845
(Dedham,"T58577"p. 208.

686

PR I - "Records of the Third Parish in Dedham for the years
1737-1738-1739-1740-. u 1737-1798.

PR II - Parish Records, 1799-184-9.

PR III - Parish Records, 1849-1888.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Assessors Rate Books, 1824-
1832, 1834-1849, 1850-1852, 1853-1855, 1856-1862; Parish
Collector's Accounts, 1737-1784; Parish Treasurer's Ac-
counts, 1799-1854.

See also Thomas Thacher, Two Discourses ; The First . Deliv -
ered on Taki rig Leave of the Old Meeting-House in the 'Phird
Parish in Dedham , February 26: and the Second~~Xt the Dedi -
cation oT the New House in Said Parish , March 1, 1809
(Dedham, 1859) : John White. A Centennial Discourse , Deli -
vered before the Congregational Society in the Third Parish
of Dedham , January 17th , 1836 (Dedham, 1^36 J; Calvin S.
Locke, Other Men Have Labored : A Sermon Preached December
1879 (Dedham, T587T; Calvin S. Locke, MS "Vest Dedham," 188
owned and held by the Dedham Historical Society; George W.
Cooke, A History of The Clapboard Trees or Third Parish ,
Dedham , Mass. "" Now the Unitarian Parish , " gest Dedham , 1736 -
1886 ( Boston , 1887); Marjory R. Fenerty, The Meeting House
on a Rock : A History of the First Parish of West wood ,
UnitedShurch (West wood, I3597T"

th,

"WEST YARMOUTH, Precinct, Society and Church (see Yarmouth,
West).

687

WEYMOUTH, First (C).

The church, although provisionally "gathered before," was
covenanted on Jan. 30, 1639. In 1723, Weymouth was divided
into First (North) and Second (South) Precincts. The church
being located in the former area, became variously known as
the First or North Church in Weymouth, or First Church in
North Weymouth. The precinct eventually became the First
Parish.

1. "At this court [held on July 8, 1635j Wessaguscus was
made a plantation, and Mr. [Joseph] Hull, a minister in
England, and twenty-one families with him, allowed to sit
down there — after called Weymouth." James K. Hosmer (ed.) t
Winthrop's Journal " History of New England " 1630-1649 (New
York, 1W), I, p. 154? * ~ U Z

Under date of Jan. 9, 1638, Winthrop continues: "Divers
of the elders went to Weymouth, to reconcile the differences
between the people and Mr. Jenner, whom they had called
thither with intent to have him their pastor. They had good
success of their prayers." Ibid . , p. 258.

And finally, under date of Jan. 30, 1639, the governor
records: "A church was gathered at Weymouth with approba-
tion of the magistrates and elders. It is observable, this
church, having been gathered before, and so that of Lynn,
coula not hold together, nor could have any elders join or
hold with them. The reason appeared to be, because they did
not begin according to the rule of the gospel . . . . "
Ibid ., p. 292.

From Winthrop's account, it is evident that the events
of 1635, as far as the gathering of the church is concerned,
constituted only a provisional beginning. If a church
covenant was subscribed during the years 1635-1638, it was
considered as being of no effect, when the people of Wey-
mouth joined in covenant on Jan. 30, 1639.

The church's recent claim to having been founded in
1623, although accepted by Robert T. Swan, "Tenth Report on
the Custody and Condition of the Public Records of Parishes,
Towns, and Counties," Public Documents of Massachusetts . . .
for the Year 1897. II (Boston, 1898), l£2, is therefore

disallowed. Frederick L. Weis, The Colonial Clergy and The
Colonial Churches of New England (Lancaster. Mass., 1936*77"
p. 279, presses for the date, July of 1635, and elsewhere
(p. 116) names Joseph Hull as "the first minister" at Wey-
mouth, a claim that should be taken only in a provisional
sense.

683

Ministers :

Joseph Hull

Thomas Jenner

Robert Lenthall

Samuel Newman

Thomas Thacher

Samuel Torrey
Peter Thacher

Thomas Paine

William Smith
Jacob Norton

;he first

(sett. 1635; rem. 1639

d. 1665)

(sett, 1636; rem. 1640

d. 1676)

(sett. 1637; rem. 1639

d. 1658)

(inst. 1638/59 as

minister"; rem. 1644; d. 1663)

(ord. 1644/45; rem. 1669;

d* 1678)

(ord. 1664/65; d. 1707)

(ord. 1707; dism. 1718;

d. 1738/39)

(ord. 1719;

d. 1757)

(ord. 1734;

(ord. 1787;

d. 1858)

dism.

173^;

d. 1783) 1
dism. 1824:

Ruling elders: the lack of 17th century records prevents
our knowing much about the Weymouth ruling eldership, al-
though other sources clearly indicate that the church em-
ployed such an officer as early as 1646.

Bates (m. 1669/70; d. 1686) 5

John Rogers (d. 1710 r"

1. James Blake, who assisted Smith from 1769 until his
death in 1771, was never settled in the Weymouth ministry.

2. John Winthrop, in James K. Hosmer, 0£. cit . , II, p. 287,
mentions a ruling elder at Weymouth, but fails to provide
his name. BOSTON, Dorchester, First, CR PUB, p. 45, remarks
on the t>articit>ation of a Weymouth ruling elder in Torrey 's
ordination under date of "19 of (12) 64" (i^e. , Feb. 19,
1664/65), and, pp. 130-131, in Peter Thacher 1 s ordination

on Nov. 16, 1707*.

3. See BOSTON, Third, CR PUB, p. 160, under date of "16:

(12) 1669 (i.e.,

Fe'o

16, 1669/70); also Peter Hobart's

4. See Peter Hobart's diary, in Bentley, 0£. cit., Ill,

un^pr Haf.o nf "1710 FphT*ll*TV ?R "

under date of "1710 February 28.

689

Beacons: the information on the Weymouth diaconate is
similarly limited by the lack of church records.

Phillios (m. 1681)

Dyer (d. 1704)

Thomas White (m* 1733-

Josiah Waterman (m. 1734- ;

3enjamin Shaw (m. 1734-

John Holbrook (m. 1753-

Abiah '.-.'hitman (m. 1754;

John Porter (e. 1770;

Samuel Webb (e» 1770;

Dr. Cotton Tufts (e. 1774;

Sbenezer Hunt (e. 1801;

Ulnathan Bates (e. 1801;

1
2

1735)

res. 1770)
1752)
1770)

d. ca. 1770)

eta. 1784)

res. 1801; d. 1809)
m. 1804}
m. 1804)
d. 1820)

antedating

Vital statistics and running records of the church

1735 and. 1770, respectively, have long been lost. The extant

records are owned and held by the church, unless otherwise

noted.

Not listed below, but worthy of note is "Diaries of Rev.

William Smith," HHSF, XLII [3rd Ser. , II] (1908-1909), 444-

470.

OR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1659-1770.

CH II - "Book No. 1." (Flyleaf: "The Church Bool; 1755.")
Running records, 1770-1787, 1826-1855; vital statistics:
baptisms, 1734-1785, 1824-1856; admissions, 1735-1783, 1824-
1836; marriages, 1734-1741, 1824-1837; deaths, 1324-1837-
Owned by the church; held by the Massachusetts Historical
Society, Boston.

CR III - Rev. Jacob Norton's Book. Scattered church rec-
ords, 1792-1853; vital statistics, 1787-1824.

CR IV - "Book of Church Records First 3van. Con. Chh. in
North Weymouth. Commenced by Rev. John C. Phillips Decem-
ber 18th 1833." 1835-1873-

CR V - "Record." 1873-1911.

1. See "Diary of Samuel Sewall. 1674-1729," NK3C, 5th Ser.,
VI (1879), 117-

2. See BOSTON, Charleston, CR I PUB HUNN3WELL, p. IS.

690

PR I - First (North) Precinct Records, 1725/24-1797. Owned
by the church; held by the Massachusetts Historical Society

PR II - "Weymouth North Parish Records." 1798-1824.

PR III - "Records of the North Parish in Weymouth." 1824-
1858.

PR IV - "Parish Records." (Flyleaf: "North Parish in
Weymouth 1838. " ) 1858-1905.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1886-
1922.

See also Church Manual (Boston, 1847; rep. Boston, 18S7,
and n.p. , 1912); Joshua £mery, Jr., A Discourse Delivered
in the North Church, Weymouth , January 5» 185l" ~( Boston,
1851) ; Gilbert Nash, Historical Sketch of the Town of Wey -
mouth , Massachusetts , "from 16^5 to 18S4~ TBoston, 1855).

WEYMOUTH, Old South Union Church (C).

The church was gathered on Sept. 18, 1725 as the Second
(South) Church in Weymouth, the Second (South) Precinct
having been set off earlier the same year. The church re-
ceived incorporation in 1892 under the title of Old South
Church of Weymouth, while the Old South Congregational
Religious Society was incorporated the following year.
In 1913, the church and society merged with the South Wey-
mouth Union Church and Society, becoming popularly known as
"The Old South Union Church."

Ministers

James Bayley (ord. 1725; d. 1766)
Simeon Williams (ord. 1768; d. 1819)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons:

Samuel Whitman
Jacob Turner
Samuel White
iJbenezer Hovey
John Blanchard

(e. 1725)

(e. 1725)

(e. 1726)

(e. 1726)

(e. 1745; res. 1751 )

691

Matthew White

Richard Ager

Adam Torrey

Samuel 31anchard, Jr.

Nathaniel Bayley

Sliphalet Loud

Samuel Torrey

(e. 17*3)

(e. 175D

(e. 175D

(e. 1762)

(e. 1771)

(e. 1802)

(e. 1802)

The records are owned by the church, and unless otherwise
noted, deposited with a local bank.

CR I - "Church Records 1723." (Flyleaf: "The Book of
Records of The Second Church of Christ in Weymouth Anno
Domini 1723.") 1725-1813.

OR I COPY - "A Copy of the 3ook of Records of The Second
Church of Christ in Weymouth Anno Domini 1723." Held by
the Weymouth Historical Society, Fogg Library, South Wey-
mouth.

V3 I PUB- John J. Loud (ed.), "The Book of Records of the
Second Church of Christ in Weymouth. Anno Domini - 1725. - "
«A| II (1899), 65-70, 115-113, III (1900), 41-49, 101-109,
IV (1901 ), 57-41. ,3*ntisns, owners of the covenant, mar-
riages, 1725-1818.

CR II - "Church Records 1318." 1618-1835.

PR I - "Parish Book." Precinct/parish records, 1723-1811.

PR I COPY - "A Copy of the 'Parish Book' of the South Parish
in Weymouth, Containing the records of the Second Precinct
or Parish, from its organization in 1723 to August 1811 in-
clusive." Held by the Weymouth Historical Society.

PR II - "Weymouth South Parish Records 1312." 1812-1867.

SR III - "Records Second Cong. Soc. Weymouth." 1368-1912,

Miscellaneous records: Church Register, compiled 1371, of
church officers, baptisms, membership, from 1723; society
Assessors Rate 3ooks, 1850, 1857, 1358, 1859, I860, 1861;
Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1825-1875-

1. Offprinted under tne same title (Boston, 1900).

692

WEYMOUTH, North Precinct, Parish and Church (see Weymouth,
First, East).

WEYMOUTH, Second Church and Precinct, Parish, Society (see
Weymouth, Old South Union Church).

WEYMOUTH, South Parish (see Weymouth, Old South Union
Church).

VHATELY (0).

The church was gathered on Aug. 21, 1771; the parish was
organized in 1828.

Minister: 2ufus Wells (ord. 1771; d. 183*0

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons i

Nathan Graves
Oliver Graves

Salmon White
Thomas Sanderson

Levi Morton

(e. 1771; ace. 1773; d. 1786)

(e. 1771, refused; e. 1790;
d. 1810)

(e. 1775; d. 1815)

(e. 1786; rem. 1804 but contin-
ued to serve at Whately; d. 1824)

(e. 1800; res. 1810; d. 1816)

1. CH I dates the covenanting of the church on Aug. 13,
1771, but the town records make it evident that this is an
error for Aug. 21.

693

The records are owned and held by the cnurch.

CR I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Whately upon the
Congregational Plan." 1771-1821.

CR II - "Boole II. Church Record Book of Whately, Mass."
(Flyleaf: "Records of the Church The Call of the Town
Whately December. 31. 1821. " ) 1821-184-3-

CR III - "Book III. Church Record. 1844." (Flyleaf: "Rec
ord of the First Congregational Church, Whately, Mass. Com-
mencing April 11, 1844.") 1844-1860.

CR IV - "Records. Cong. Church Whately." 1860-1898.

CR V - "Register and Record 3ook. First Cong. Church of
Whately, Massachusetts, Jan. 15, 1898." 1898-194-7.

PR I - "Parish Record. 'Whately 1828. No. 1." 1828-1866.

PR II - Parish Records, 1367-1959-

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1869-
1939-

V.TLBRAHAM, United (C).

The church was gathered on June 24-, .174-1 as the Church in

the Fourth Precinct in Springfield. The precinct became

the town of Wilbraham in 1763, and the church's name was

accordingly changed.

In 1782, the town was divided into First (North) and Second

(South) Parishes, the first encompassing the church of 174-1

which became popularly known as the North Congregational

Church. ^

In 1914- , this church merged with a local Methodist church,

and took the title, "United Church."

1. The area was originally known as "Springfield Mountain."

2. The Second (South) Parish became the town of Hampden in
1878.

694

Ministers :

Noah Merrick (ord. 1741; <i<» 1776)

Joseph Willard (ord. 1787; dism. 1794; d. 1827)

Ezra Witter (ord. 1797; dism. 1814; d. 1833)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons : David Herrick

Nathaniel Warriner
Capt. Samuel Day
Lt. John Hitchcock

Elieazur Smith
Gideon Burt
Lt. Noah Warriner
Cheliab Merrick
Rev. Aaron Woodard

(e. 1744; d. 1757)
(e. 1744: d. 1780)

(e. 1759)

(e. 1780, refused; m. as

deacon 1781)

(e. 1780, refused ?)

(e. 1787; res. 1804:.d. 1814)

(e. 1789; res. 1794) 1 .

(e. 1795; excom. 1821)^

(e. 1805; d. 1840 y

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Church Records of Wilbraham - Also Church Covenant.
No. 1. No. Wilbraham." Largely vital statistics, 1741-1776

CR II - "North Wilbraham - Church Records." 1778-1786.

VS I & II - Ella M. Lewis and Herbert S. Thayer, typescript
"Records of y Chh in y East Precinct In Springfield,"
being a copy of statistical materials (paralleling CR I and
CR II) then held by the Connecticut Valley Historical Soci-
ety, Springfield. The typescript is owned and held by the
Congregational Library, Boston.

CR III - Church Records, 1787-1797, 1805, with vital statis-
tics to 1808.

CR IV - Church Records, 1801-1831.

CR V - "Records of the Congregational Church in North-
Wilbraham, Feby. 13th. 1832." 1832-1868.

1. CR III notes the death of a Deacon Preserved Wright in
1790.

2. Deacons Ezekiel and Daniel Ladd became members here by
letters of transfer in 1801, and may have served as Wilbraham
deacons. Ezekiel died in 1808, Daniel removed from town in
1310.

5. Woodard transferred his membership here from a church at
Wilton, Norwalk, Ct.

695

CR VI - "Records of the First Congregational Church,
Wilbraham, Mass." 1868-1 WL.

PR I - "A Book of Records for the North Parish of Wilbraham."
1782-1854.

SR II - Society Records, 1855-1893.

3R III - Society Records, 189A-1938.

Miscellaneous records: Parish/Society Collector's Accounts,
1811-1852, 1868-1911; Parish/Society Treasurer's Accounts,
1782-1862, 1862-1958; Record of Subsc riot ions to Repair the
Meetinghouse, 1832-1853.

See also Manual of the .First Congregational Church Wilbra -
ham , Mass . , and ^atalo£ue of the riembers of the Church .
1891 (Palnier, 1891); Martin S. rioward , A discourse Delivered
June 26th, 1891 ^ at the Celebration of the One Hundred and
Fiftieth Year of the First Congregational Church of Wilbra -
ham (Ludlow, lS^TT"

WILBRAHAM, North Parish and North Church (see Wilbraham).

WILBRAHAM, South Parish (see Hampden).

WILLIAMSBURG (C).

The church was gathered on July 3» 1771; the date of the
parish's organization is not known.

696

Ministers:

Amos Butler (ord. 1773; d. 1777)
Joseph Strong (inst. 1781; d. 1803)
Henry Lord (ord. 1804; d. 18 54)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Amasa Frost -,
Joseph Corey
Ulisha Allis
Nehemiah Cleaveland
Elisha Nash
Asa Ludden
Samuel Graves

e. 1771;

e. 1771;

e. 1785)

(e. 1785)

(e. 1790;

(e. 1790;

(e. 1804;

d.
d.

d.
d.
d.

1795)

1803)

1827)

1825)

1321)

There are no extant records of the church or parish ante-
dating 1909- See William Lusk, A Discourse Delivered at
Williamsburg , January 24, 1836 •_ • . Prefixed rlistor-

t church (I fort.

ic n

al Sketch of th;

th amp ton, 1856) ; Cataloirue

of lumbers of the jjrst Congregational Church in Williams -
bur r,h , to which is prefixed Tne Confession of Faith , Coven
ant, and Articles of Practice of the Church . April , 1353
(lforthanpton, 1353; rep. under the title, Manual of the
First Congregational Church , Williamsburg Mass ,, in 1873);
Phyllis B. Deming, A History of willirmsour^ in Massachu -
setts , 175th Anniversary (1< orthanpton , 19^-6) , esp. Chs. V
and XIV.

WILLIAM3T0WN, First (C).

The church was gathered in March of 1765. ?he parish was
organized in 1829, and dissolved in 1955 at the time of the
church 1 s incorporation.

Ministers: Whitman Welsh (ord. 1765; d. 1776)
Seth Swift (ord. 1779; d. 1307)

Ruling elders: none.

Deaconc: due to the lack of early records, only three names
are known.

1. Sometimes riven as "Cary."

697

Nathan Wheeler
James Meacham
iSbenezer otratton

(rem. 1784)

(d. 1313)

(e. 1784; do 1814)

The church records for the years 1765-1776 were reported
missing in 1829. The records for 1776-1826 were destroyed
by the fire in 1868 which badly damaged CR I. The extant
records are owned by the church and deposited with a local

bank,

CR I - "Gridley Records - Date 1826." Badly fire-damaged.

CR II - "Church Record. Vol. 2. 1834-1847." (Flyleaf:
"Records of the First Congregational Church in Villi ainst own,
Mass. from the year 1854.")

CR III - "Church Records, 1348-1866."

CR IV - "Records of the First Congregational Church for
1867." 1867-1901.

PR I - "The 1st Vol. Parish Records. 1829-1856, complete
from the Organization of the Parish."

PR II - "First Congregational Church, Williamstown, Mass.
Parish Records." 1856-1935-

See also the several editions of the church manual: Articles
°^ Faith .and Form of Covenant Adopted by The Church in
VJTll jams town (Villianstown, 1832) , Church Manual (I«orth
Adams, 1349; Boston, 1368), Manual of the First Con nre na -
tional Church , Williamstown , Mass 7 "(l^ittsfield, 1379) ;
HFson Noble, Centennial Discourse , Delivered in Willians -
town , Mass., November 19% 1665 (North Adams, 1565); Pro -
ceedings in Comaemor-ition of the One Hundred and Fiftieth
Anniversary of the First Congregational Church , Williams -
town, Mass . "CPittsfield, 1916), esp. pp. 43-92.

1. See history of The County of Berkshire , P.
in Two Parts (Fittsfield, 1829T7 PP- 397-4161

rlas s 'ichus c 1 1 s ;

698

wmmroDas (c).

The church v;as gathered on Oct. 24, 1755, the parish having
been organized some three years earlier in "the North East
Part of Woburn and Westerly part of Reading," i.e ., the town
of Wilmington. The .First Religious Society was incorporated
in 1834, the church in 1887 as the Congregational Church in
Wilmington, not long after which the society became inactive

Ministers: James Varney

Isaac Morrill
Freegrace Raynolds

(ord. ±753;
d. 1783)
(ord. 1741;
(ord. 179^;

d. 1834)

dism. 1739;

d. ±793)
disn. 1830;

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: James Tompson (e.

Deacon John Harnden (e.

Capt. Kendal Pearson (e.

Stephen Wesson (e.

Oadwalader Ford (e.

Thomas Peirce (e.

Benjamin Jaquith (e.

David Stanly (e.

Timothy V.alker (e.

3enjamin Thompson (e.

Nathaniel liorrill (m.

1733;
1734;
1743;
1760;
17&6.
1766)
1770;
1770;

1777;

1796)
1805;

m. 1760)-,

m. 1737) x
a. 1760)
m. 1770)
refused ?)

res. 1796)

e. confirmed 1777)

m. 1795)

res. 1817) 2

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "The Book of
Wilmington - 1735."
1826.

Records for
1755-1797,

the Church
with vital

of Christ in

statistics to

CR II -
leaf:
•Second 3ook,

"Church Records 1826-1857 (Second 3ook). " (Fly-
Records of the Congregational Church in Wilmington.

begun

1326.") 1826-1357.

1. Harnden had formerly served as a deacon at North Reading

2.

A lacuna

difficult to

certain just

tell
when

just

in the records makes it
unen ..orrill was elected, iior is it

2benezer Thompson, who joined the church in 1797 and whose
name is frequently coupled with Morrill's, joined the Wil-
mington diaconate.

699

OR III - "Church Records 1858-1888 - Including List of
Members (Third Book.) Cong. Church Wilmington."

VS I - Admissions, 1804-1899-

SR I & SH II - "Records of First Religious Society 1854-
1865 (-v/o 3ooks)." Two volumes, bound together, 1854-1845,
1845-1865-

S3 III - Society Records, 1865-1894.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1526-
1876, 1889-1896; Church Committee Records, 1888-1915;
Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1845-1860, 1877-1892.

See also .'articles of Faith and Covenant , Ecclesiastical
Principles , Standing -hales , and List of Members , of The
Orthodox Congregational Church, \. : ilmin~ton, Mass. . Adopted
in their present form by vote of the Church , o uly 3d , 1657
X^oburn, 1857); History , Year 3ook and Church Directory of
the First C on ^r e n a t i o na 1

Church "■■.'ilminrton , Mass . (nTp. ,

VKCHENDON, First (C).

The church was gathered on Dec. 15 » 1762 in the area known
as "Ipswich Canada," which two years later became the town

of V/inchendon. The First Parish

w

,1-3 r-

organized in 1825.

The church ins been inactive for the past thirty years.

Ministers :

Daniel Stim.ison (ord. 1762; d. 1763)

Joseph Brown (ord. 1769; dism. 1799; d. 1811)

j-.evi Pillsbury (ord. 1801; d. 1319)

.-hi ling elders: none.

Deacons

Richard Day

(e.

1765; d. 177<0
1767 )

Abel .-.'ilder

e.

Moses Hale

Cm.

1778-1810)

Samuel Prentice

(m.
(m.

1790; d. ca. 1S10)

j_.evi r.oore

1790; d. ca. 1810)

700

Amos Hey wood (e. 1802),
Israel Whist on (e. 1802 ) x

p
The records antedating 1301 were reported missing in 1868;

the only extant book is held by the Seals Memorial Library,

Winchendon.

CR - Church Records, 176$, 1801-1836. First six pages
missing.

See also 3zra Hyde, History of the Town of Winchendon (Wor-
cester, 184-9); A. P . Marvin , cp>. cit . ; 3. H. Whitney et alii ,
Winchendon: A Retrospect of Dne Hundred and Fifty Years
(Winchendon, 1914).

WINDSOR, First (C).

The church was gathered on March 25, 1775 in the area then
known as Gageborough. In 1778, Gageborough became the town
of Windsor, and the c. lurch's name was duly changed. The
First Congregational Parish was incorporated in 1824.

Ministers: David Avery

Slisha Fish
Gordon Dorrance

Ruling elders: none.

(inst. 1773; dism. 1777;

d. 1818)

(ord. 1785; dism. 1792; d. 1807)

(ord. 1795; dism. 1834; d. 1846)

Deacons :

John Brown
Zebediah Morse
Joshua Phillips
Henry Brewster
John Brown, Jr.

(e. 1785)

(e. 1785; rem. 1800)

(e. 1800)

(e. 1804 refused ?)

(e. 1805)

1. Whether Deacon Desire Tolman, mentioned in 1808, was
elected before 1806 is not known.

2. See A, P. Marvin, History of the Town of Winchendon
( Worcester County , Mass .) (Winchendon, 18657, P« 512.

701

The records are owned and held by the church.

CR I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Windsor (formerly

called Gageborough. ) Chiefly since the installment of

Mr. David Avery their Pastor, 25th March 1773- " 1773-1865-

CR I COPY COOKS - Rollin H. Cooke, "Windsor Congregational
Church." Typescript copy, made in 1900. Cooke Collection,
Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield.

CR I COPY 3R0WN3 - William Browne, "Windsor Church, Records,
1775-1864." Two typescript copies, made in 1930.

CR II - "A Book of Records of the Church of Christ in
Windsor - denominated the First Congregational Church -
Organized in the year of our Lord 1773. Jan'y 1866."
Running records, scattered 1866-1898; in full, 1898-194-5-

3R I - "Book No. 1: Book of Records for the first Congrega-
tional Society in Windsor, February 1823." 1823-1846.

8R II - "Book No. 2. Book of Records for the first Congre-
gational Society in Windsor. Apr 11th, 1846." 1846-1918.

WINDSOR, Second (C), extinct.

". . . after Mr. Avery's dismission [in 1777 J » the Chh. was
sometime destitute of a Pastor, and very small. After this
there came among them one John -Sliot, and a pretense being
made that there was no Chh. in this place, a Chh. was
formed, over which he was ordained. But, his conduct being
unsuitable, after about three months from the time of his
ordination, he was dismissed. Mr. Avery's Chh. though very
small, still remained in existence." (WINDSOR, CR I,
pp. 2-3.)

Nothing further is known about this short-lived church, or
its pastor, John Zliot.

702

[WJNOHRGP, Union Church (C).J

In 1955? the Union Congregational Church in Vinthrop formally
observed its "two hundredth anniversary," necessitating some
brief entry in this inventory.

Stirred by the preaching of George Vhitefield, the residents
of Point Shirley (now Vinthrop) commenced the construction
of a meetinghouse in 1755* Preaching was supplied from the
latter part of that year, and in 1756 the town of Chelsea
(of which Point Shirley was a part) voted to increase taxes
at the Point to supply ministers for the meetinghouse. By
1780, the failure of the fishing industry had reduced the
Point's population to two families, and in 181? the building
was dismantled.

No church was gathered in Vinthrop until 1896, when the
Union Congregational Church was recognized by an ecclesias-
tical council and received incorporation from the Common-
wealth.

See 1755 - 1955 . 200th Anniversary of Congregationalism In
WinthroT) . The Union Congregational Church, ..inthrop , Massa -
chusetts (n.p. , 1955).

.vOBURN, First (G).

The church was gathered on Aug. 14-, 164-2. The Trustees of
the ..oburn Ministerial Fund were incorporated in 1810. The
First Parish, organized in 1724, was incorporated in 1316.

Ministers;

Thomas Carter
Jabez Fox
John Fox
Sdward Jackson

Josian Sherman

Samuel Sargeant
Joseph Chickerinr

(ord. 164,

Cord. 1679;

(ord. 1705;

(ord. 1729;

(ord. 1756;

1775; d. 1739)

(ord. 1785; dism.
d. 1313)

d. 1684)
d. 1703)
d. 1756)
d. 1754)
dism. and rem

(ord. 1804;
d. l.-m)

1799;

dism. 1821

Ruling elders: none.

703

Deacons: Edward Convors
John Mousall
John Wright
John Russell
Josiah Convers
Henry Baldwin
Samuel Walker
William Lock
Joseph Wright
oamuel Walker

William Lock
3d ward Johnson
George Reed

James Thompson
Josiah Wright
Joseph Hartwell
Josiah i-ierce
Stephen .Richardson
Sauuel 3ames
John Wright
Deacon John Leathe
Nathan Richardson
Samuel Wyman ^
Samuel Thompson
Obadiah Kendall
Zebediah Wyman
Josiah Richardson
Jeduthan Richardson
Josiah Wright

(e.

1642

(e.

1642

(e.

1664

IV.

1664

1674

ft

1686

1692

(e.

1700

(e.

1700

Ce.

iyoy

1735; a.

(e.

1709

(e.

1717

(e.

1719

1735; a.

(e.

1725

(e.

1735

(,e.

1736

(e.

1742

(e.

1745

(e.

1745

(e.

1758

(e.

1759

(e.

1761

(e.

1764

(e.

177b

(e.

177b

(e.

1789

(e.

1789

(e.

1796

(e.

1805

d. 1663)
d. 1665)-,

d. leea)^

d. 1676)
d. 1690)
d. 1698
d. 1704-
d. 1720
d. 1724-
dism. and rem.
1744)
d. 1733)

d. 1725)

dism. and rem.

1756)
res. 1733; d. 1765)
d. 17^7)
d. 17^3)
d. 1759)
d. 1752
d. 1775
d. 1763
d. 1775)
d. 1775)
d. 1787)

res. 1312; d. 1320)
d. 1311)
d. 1793)
d. 1795)

res. 1312; d. 1315)
res. 1G25; d. 1330)

The loss,of all church records antedating 1755 was reported
in 1867 5^ the extant records are owned by the church and are
deposited with a local bank.

CR I - MIooItfG, Church Records, 164-2-1755.

1. Sometimes the date of ..'rirht's death is given as 1633.

2. oee William R Cutter, "Diaries of Samuel Thompson, 3sq.
Voburn, Mass.," N3KG--t , a...;IV (1880), 397-401.

3. William i?'. i'oole (ed.), Wonder - l.'orkin;-: Providence of
oions oaviour in New ;Jn Xinc [ By Captain Edwara Johnson ]

C .'niover, 1G677T "Introduction," p. xcii. Johnson's famed
account of the gathering of the .-.oburn church (Book II,
Chapter xxii) was cocposed less than a decade after the
event, and so stands as an excellent example of sucn cnurch
activities in the 154-0's. Jee also w'int.irop ' s Journal
" History of Ne-.j ^n land " 1630 - 16^-9 , ed . by U. m3T

(Ne.. York, 1903), II, p.

704

CR II - "First Church in Woburn Book, 1755-1346 (Dec. 4)."

CR II COFY - Helen C. He Gown, "First Church Records, 1755-
184-5, Copy." Copy made in 1897 omits all disciplinary rec-
ords.

CR III - "III." Church records, 184-5-1895.

CR IV - Church Records, 1894-1922.

VS - "First Church of Christ at Woburn, Mass.
1905.

1898." 1871-

PR I - "Woburn first Parish BOOK of Records A. 1752-1755<>"

PR II - "Woburn First Parish Book of Records From January
1754- to 1792."

PR III - Parish Records, 1792-1846.

PR IV - "First Congregational Parish, Woburn." 1848-1888.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Order Book, 1784—1815; Trus-
tees of the Ministerial Fund, Treasurer's Accounts, 1809-
184-2; Pew Deeds, 1860-1901.

See also the several church manuals, the first being The
Rules and Regulations , and Confession of Faith and Covenant
of the First Conr;re;~a"tional Church in '.-. oburn , with Lists of
the Founders , Pastors , and Deacons ; Together -/ic'ri a Cataloraie
of the Existing; Members . July , 1844- (.Soinerville, 1844); the
others, usually titled Manual of the First Congregational
Church , were published 'Woburn, "T852; Woburn, 1871; Woburn,
1901 ; 3oston," 1917. See further Commemoration of the Two
Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary of the Founding of the
First Church at Woburn , Massachusetts ( Conversational ) Held
October 2, 13^2 . in Connection with the Civic Celebration

(n.p., 189577 1642 ^ 1942 . First Conrire^tional Church ,
Woburn, Massachusetts . The Tercentenary Program . Novem-
ber 12, 18, 20, 22, 1942 ~(Toburn, 1942).

705

VCBUHN, Third or Separate (C), extinct

The
had
was
ety

church was gathered n Sept. 17, 17^6 by Hew Lights who

withdrawn from Vobum's First
organized the following year,
united with the First Church

hurch. The Third Society

In 1756, church
and Parish.

and soci-

Ilinister: Josiah Cotton (inst. 174*7; rem. 1756; d. 1780)

Ruling elders: none
Deacon: Jonn .ueathe

Church

(e. 1746-7; rem, to First
Third dissolved 1756; e. deacon
Church 1759; d. 1775)

when
'irst

disappeared;
<Iurd (ed.)»

Any records of this Thira ohurch have long since
the known details were summarised in D. Hamilton
History of Middlesex County , jiassachusetts , with 3ior:raph-
TcaT^feetches of Many of Its Pioneers -and Prominent nen
TTnTladel^hia ,~l3 Wh ^7 525-* 30, referring the reader to
IIS. materials then extant, oee also 0. C. Goen, Revivalism
and Separatism in New Inland , 17*0 - 1300 (Hew Haven and
lolldon, 1962;, p. 313.

V/OSUHIT, Second Church and Parish (see Burlington).

VfOBOSST, ITorth 3ast Part of [and Westerly part of Reading]
(see Wilmington) •

V/003SKS3CEOCKSETT Church (see Sterling, First).

706

WORCESTER, First (C).

The First or "Old South" Church of Worcester was gathered
in 1719, and the First Parish was organized in 1787. The
parish dissolved at the tine of the church's incorporation
in 1908.

Ministers:

Andrew Gardner, Jr,
Isaac 3urr

Thaddeus Mace arty-
Samuel Austin, D.D,

(ord. 1719; disci. 1722;
d. 1773)

(ord. 1725; dism. 174-5;
d. 175D

(inst. 17^7; d. 1784)
(inst. 1790 ; e. President,
University of Vt. 1815 re-
taining pastoral title;
dism. 1318; d. 1830)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons :

Nathaniel Hoore

(e.

1716;

d.

1761 ) p

1773 r

Daniel Hey wood

(e.

1716:

1748)

d.

Daniel ./ard

Cm.

James Goodwin

(m.

1748)

Jonas Hice

(e.

1748;

d.

1753)

Thomas wheeler

(e.

1748;

d.

1769)

Jacob Chamberlain

Ce.

1751 ;

d.

1790)
1759)

Samuel i.iller

U.

1751 ;

d.

Nathan x'erry

(e.

1783;

d.

1306)

Thomas ..'heeler

Ce.

1783;

d.

1795)

John Chamberlain

te.

1791;

d e

1313)

Leonard ..'ore ester

Ce.

1797;

d.

1346)

David Richards

Ce.

1801;

d.

1529)

1. The church's frequent claims to having been organised in
1716 (see the several church manuals listed below) confuse
uhe early stages of organization with the actual Gathering
of the church in 1719. See Charles 3. Stevens, Worcester
Churches.

(V.'orcester, 1390).

2. Although thus reported in ?he

and

jgith . Covenant , rind Stan
Worcester , Hans . ( The Old
Officers

in- 3ule
South: ) wit:!

History ,
of The

IS,

Articles
— i

of

irst Church in

and
one is

.ember:

o reenter

1854}, one is proispted to

Deacon Daniel Heywoods dur
wood who died in 1773 was
would have made him only
tion, extraordinarily youn
1716.

A Catalorxie of its
March ?5 1 1854 CTorces
wonder if there were not two
the 18th century. Txie

ter,

Hey-

seventy-nine years of age, which
wenty-two at the time of his elec
to be chosen to such a r>ost in

707

The extant 13th century church records are fragmentary,
consisting largely of vital statistics. The records are
owned by the church, and unless otherwise noted, are depos-
ited with the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester.

CR I - MISSING, Church Records, 1719-1747 .

CR II - (a) Folder, "Records of the Old South Church,
Worcester, Mass., 174-7-1761." (b) Folder, "Records of the
Old South Church, 'Worcester, Mass., 1745-1790. Baptisms,
admissions & demissions."

CR III - "Records of the First Church, Worcester, from
Oct. 9, 1816 to Sept. 14, 1820."

VS IV - "Records, 1821-1824. Old South Church, Worcester."
Admissions only.

CR IV - Church Records, 1820-1846. Held by the church.

CR V - Church Records, 1846-1861. Held by the church.

CR VI - Church Records, 1862-1879. Held by the church.

CR VII - Church Records, 1872-1897. Held by the church.

CR VIII - Church Records, 1830-1900. Held by the church.

PR I - "Old South Church, 'Worcester. 1787-1828." Farish
records.

Miscellaneous records: Parish Treasurer's Accounts, 1788-
1831; Parish Assessors Rate Books, held by the church, 1818-
18J6, 1837-1851, 1056-1871; Parish Warrants, held by the
church, 1831-1850, 1849-1871; Parish Hembersnip List, held
by the church, 1334-1898.

See also Timothy Paine et alii , "A Topographical Description
of the Town of Worcester," MH3C « 1st Ser. , I (1792, pub".
1806), 112-116; and the several editions of the church man-
ual, e«f% » the 1854 edition cited above.

708

WORCiSSTSR, First Unitarian Church, Second Parish (U).

xhe church was gathered in March of 1785- The Second Parish
was incorporated in 1787-

Kinister: Aaron Bancroft, D.D. (ord. 1736; d. 1839)

Ruling elders: none.

Deacons: Samuel 3ridge (e. 1786; d. 1799)
David 3igelow (e. 1736; d. 1810)
Nathan Heard (n. 1803; d. ca. 1820)

The records are owned by the church, and deposited with the
American .Antiquarian Society, Worcester.

CR I - "Membership Book and Records of the Second Church in
Worcester." 1785-1850, with admissions to 1916.

VS I- "Marriages & Deaths, 1785-1839."

VS II - "Marriages, 1823-1919."

VS III - "Members of Church and Parish, 182?."

Vo IV - "Deaths, 1856-1919."

PR I - "Records of the 2d Parish in the To\m of Worcester,
Vol. I." 1789-1321.

PR II - "2d Parisn Records, Vol. II." 1822-1846.

PR III - "Second Parish Records. Vol. 3

1847-1889.

Miscellaneous records include a complete set of Parish
Treasurer's Account Books*

See also Samuel S. Green, "Gleanings from the Sources of
the History of the Second Parish, Worcester, Massachusetts,"
;.'u5F . Hew Ser. , II (1382-1885), 301-320.

W0RC^S233. North Precinct (seo Holden).

709

'./ORCESTZR, Old South Church (see Worcester, First, Old
South).

UGRCBSESS.. Second Church and Parish (see Worcester, First
Unitarian).

V/0RC3S$33, South Precinct, Parish (see Auburn).

VORTHINCTON (C).

The church was gathered on Apr. 1, 1771} the ?irst Con-
gregational Society v;as organized in 1365.

Ministers: Jonathan i-Iuntin^ton (ord. 1771; d. 1731)

Josiah S-oaulding (inst. 1738; disn. 1794- ;

cu 1823)
Jonathan L. l ; o^.eroy (ord. 1794- ; dism. 1832;

d. 1536)

Rulinr elders: none.

Deacons : Joseph Marsh

Nathan Leomrd
Jo shun Phillip;

(e. 1771; d. 1736)
(e. 1771; a, 1738)
(e. 1733; rem. 179$)

Deacon Jonathan 3rev;stcr (e. 1789; d. 1300)

1. Force rl," a depcon at reston, C .

710

Rufus Harsh
-Szra Leonard
^Tbenezer Niles
Asahel Prentice

(e. 1739; rem. 1802)

(e. 1800)

(e. 1801; d. 1306)

(e. 1801; d. 1306)

Vhe records are owned and held by the church.

03 I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Worthing on. "
1771-18J8.

CR I COPY COOKE - Rollin II. Cooke, "Vorthington, Mass.,
Record of Cong. Church." Copy made in 1901. Cooke Collec-
tion, Berkshire Athenaeum, Pittsfield.

CR II - "Vol. 2: Records of the First Congregational Church
in Worthington Commencing Jan'y 1. ,.D. 1839." 1839-1870.

CR III - "Jan. 1st, 1871- Church organized 1771.
from Jan. 1st. 1871, to Jan. 1st. 1907."

Records

?R I - "First Parish in Worthington, 1865-1897- Vol. I."

Miscellaneous records; Parish Assessors Rate 3ook, 1865-
1877-

WBSNQEiAfi. Original Congregational Church (C).

The church
tional Soc
after the
A separati
is no cone
Church was
Separatism
1962;, p.
been pas to

Ministers ;

was gathered on Apr. 15, 1692, and the Congrega-
iety incorporated in 1799- ?he society dissolved
incorporation of the church in 1905-
on from the church occurred ca. 17^-7, but there
lusive evidence that a Separate Congregational
gathered here. See C. C. Goen, Revivalism and
in New inland , 1740 - 1800 (New Haven and London,
31S, where -51ihu Daggett ir suggested as having
r to the Separatists.

Samuel Harm
Henry Hessenger
Joseph 3ean
David Avery

^lisha Fiske

(ord. 1692; d. 1719)
(ord. 1719; d. 1750)
(ord. 1750 ; d. 1734)
(inst. 1786; dism. 1794;
d. 1818)
(ord. 1799; d. 1851)

711

Ruling elders: none

Deacons:

Samuel Fisher

(e.

1692

Sleazar I'ietcalf

Ce.

1700

Samuel Fisher

(e.

1705

John Guild

(e.

1707

Theodore Mann

(e.

1722

Thomas Thurston

(e.

1728

Francis Nicholson

(e.

1744-

Hezekiah Hav/es

Ce.

174A

Richard Fisher

Ce.

1755

Ezra Blake

Ce.

1755

Thomas Mann

(e.

1772

Jacob Pond

(e.

1775

David Holbrook

(e.

1777

John Hall

(e.

1795

Philin Blake

Ce.

1795

d.

1856)

Amos Walton

Ce.

1795

d.

1811)

'; d. 1704)

dism. and rem. 1758)

d. 1722)

d. 1723)

d. 1761)

d. 1755)

d. 1755)

d. 1777)

d. 1777)

do 1775),

d. 1807 )T

d. 1815)

d. 1795)

d. 1812)

dism. and rem. 1801;

; dism. and rem. 1807;

The church records for 1692-1699 were destroyed by fire in
the latter year. The extant records until 184-3 consist
almost entirely of vital statistics; they are owned and
held by the church.

VS I - "Records of the Church of Christ in Wrentham." Copy
of vital statistics and church covenants, 1692, 1700-1786;
original vital statistics, 1786-1843.

CR II - "Records of the Original Congregational Church in
Wrentham, Mass. Nov. 1, 1843.." 1843-1903.

SR I - Society Records, 1799-1844.

SR II - MISSING, Society Records, 1844-1393.

1. Deacons Mann and Pond, adherents of Rev. Avery, were
discharged from the Wrentham diaconate in 1795 » -for long
neglect of their duties and for promoting the gathering of
a church at Norfolk. Later that year, their Wrentham dea-
conships were offered to them again, but whether they ac-
cepted or whether they remained at Norfolk is not known.

2. See Joseph Bean, A Sermon Delivered at Wrentham , Octo -
ber 26, 1773 i On compleatinn the first Century since the
Town was incorporated (Boston, 1774 ) •

712

SR III - "Congregational Record book 1895." 1893-1903.

Miscellaneous records: Church Treasurer's Accounts, 1822-
1885; Society Treasurer's Accounts, 1799-1903; Society
Trustees Records, 1800-1899; Meetinghouse Subscribers
Records, 1834-1850.

of Faith . and Covenants ,

in tf rent ham , Mass

See also Historical Sketch , Articles

of tne Original Congregational Church .

\7xth a C atalogue of Its Officers and Present Members"

« 184-5 CBoston, 1845) (.later

08, entitled Manual ) ; Melvill

Delivered at the Two
versary Exercises oT

April 1
n.p. , I
Address

the

exercises
Wrentham, Massachusetts.
Minnie D. Bennett, The Histo

Hundred
Origin al Con
rlpril

1£. 1

of The

Church of Wrentham (Foxboro

ory oi u
71959):

editions Boston, 1875;
e A. Shafer, Historical
and Twenty-Fifth Anni -
rre go tional "Church ,
12 U.p., 1917);
riginal C on gr e gat i on al

VRENTHAM, North Church, Parish, Society (see Norfolk)

'.VR3NTHAM , Second Church and Precinct (see Franklin).

YARMOUTH, First (C).

The church was gathered on Nov. 3» 1639 » and incorporated
in 1891 -

713

Ministers:

Harmaduke Matthews
John filler
Thomas Thornton

John Cotton

Daniel Greenleaf

Thomas omith

Grindall Rawson

Joseph Green, Jr.
Timothy Alden

(sett. 1639-164-3; d. 1683)

(sett, 1647-1662; d. 1665)

(ord. 1667; res. 1692:

rem. 1693; d. 1700/01)

(ord. 1693; res. 1705;

d. 1705/06)

(ord. 1708; dism. 1726;

d. 1763)

(ord. 1729; dism. 1754;

d. 1788)

(inst. 1755; dism. 1760;

d. 1794)

(inst. 1762; d. 1768)

(ord. 1769; d„ 1828)

Ruling elders: due to the loss of the church's records, it
is not known if the Yarmouth church employed such officers.

Deacons: similarly, only fragmentary knowledge of the Yar-
mouth diaconate is available.

Josiah Thacher
John Hall
Joseph Hall
Joseph Howes
Joseph Ryder
Shubael Taylor
Joseph Crosby
Daniel Hall
Josiah Hedge
Isaac Hamblin
Isaac Hallett
Joseph White
Josiah Thacher
Joseph Hav/es

1702)
1710)
1716;
1730;
1730;
1730)
1757)
1761:
1776)
1778.
1778)
1789;
1801:
1802)

rem. 1727
d 1752)
d. 1753)

?; d. 1737)

d. 1768)
refused ?)

d.
d.

1812)
1809)

The lack of records (except for admissions) antedating 1729
was remarked in that year. Only fragmentary records, con-
sisting in vital statistics, could be located for the years
1729-present.

VS I - "Yarmouth Records." Admissions, 1678-1754. HS owned
and held by the i.'ew England Historic Genealogical Society,
3oston.

1. In the face of several conflicting traditions, and lack-
ing the records of tne church, only approximations can be
offered in dating the early pastorates.

714

C3 I - MISSING, V Book of Church Records for the '.-/est :2nd
of Yarmouth from Aprill 16th 1729 'Vt which time Thomas Smith
was ordained the pastor over it And Before which there is
no written account to be obtained. - Hitherto the CC hath
hid no records." Sxtsnt in 1955 (see C3 I PUB, below) but
has since dropped from sight.

C3 I PUB - Florence C. Howes, "Church Records of 'West Yar-
mouth, Mass.," Z'XiGR . CV (1951), 04-89, 202-203. 308-312,
CVI (1952), 1027T5S-1S5, CVII (1953), 57-59, ±07-108, 288-
292, CVIII (195*0, 108-110, 205-210, 258-265, CIX (1955),
53-44-. Baptisms only, 1729-1754, taken from CR I.

OR II - MISSING, "3ook belonging t
Church in Yarmouth, Massachusetts,
correct account of tne proceedings
tisms, marriages, 2nd deaths since
ir. .r-thaniel Cogswells" 3:rt

o the congregational
This book contains -a
of the Church, the bap-
the ordination of

oelo;/) but has since dropped from si^ht.

Jit in 1955 (see CH II PUB,

G2 II PUB - Florence

:io\:e\

o>

cit. 3.aptisms, 17 ?7-

1754, 1762-1362; marriages, 1822^18 >0; deaths, 1822-184%

See

1st

also rimothy Mden, Jr., "Memorabilia of Y-raouth,

3er. , V (1796, rep. 1855), 54-60; Frederick Freeman, "The

raise

History of CaT>e Cod (Boston, 1360-1862),
Doda;e, " Tii stor y of fch« ?ir<5t ^nir-roo-oti

vols. ; John
on -relational Church , Yar-

mouth - H-ss . , in Discourse Delivered Jan. 26th and

reb. 2d, 137? (Yarmouth Port, 1575); " Tipnu-a of the irst
Conrre-ational Church, Yarmouth . Hass . C Y- rmoutSTortl 1875,
re?. 1391;; Ch-rles F. dv.dft. History of Old Yarmouth
(Yarmouth Port, 1334).

Y -.a-iOUfH, Separatist (C), extinct.

This church, sometimes design -ted Yarmout.a's oecond Church, 1
w ^s gathered in 1640 by persons v;ho had withdrawn from the

1. Frederick L.

. trederxck L. dels, The Colonial Clerry and The Coloni
hurches of lieu Jinrlind CLanc-.ster T Mass., l?"67^p. 280.

al

715

church of 1639* Its pastor, Joseph Hull, was excommunicated
by the church at (West) 3arnstable in 164-1 for having broken
communion with them, and in 164-3 was forbidden by court -ac-
tion to exercise any ministry among the Separatists. Later
in 164-3, Hull and his wife were readmitted to fellowship at
Barnstable, and it appears that the Separatist Church did
not long outlive his change of heart.

Minister: Joseph Hull (sett. 164-0-164-3; d. 1665)

Due to the absence of any records, nothing is known of the
lay personnel of this church.

See Frederick Freeman, The History of C-^oe God (Boston,
1860-1862), 3 vols., especially II, p. 256."

[YAIUIOUTH, West (0).]

Although the West Precinct in Yarmouth was incorporated in
1722, no church was gathered here until 184-0, when the South
Congregational Church (later called the west Yarmouth Con-
gregational Church) came into being.

YARMOUTH, East Precinct (see Dennis).

YARMOUTH, Second Church (see Dennis).

716

YARMOUTH, South Church and Society (see Yarmouth, West)

YARMOUTH, west Parish and Church (see Yarmouth, First).